-alkylisatin-based microtubule destabilizers bind to the colchicine site on tubulin and retain efficacy in drug resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines with less in vitro neurotoxicity.

Background: Drug resistance and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy continue to be significant problems in the successful treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). 5,7-Dibromo--alkylisatins, a class of potent microtubule destabilizers, are a promising alternative to traditionally used antimitotics with previous demonstrated efficacy against solid tumours in vivo and ability to overcome P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediated drug resistance in lymphoma and sarcoma cell lines in vitro. In this study, three di-brominated -alkylisatins were assessed for their ability to retain potency in vincristine (VCR) and 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) resistant ALL cell lines.

Molecular patterns in salivary duct carcinoma identify prognostic subgroups.

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDCa) is a rare cancer with high rate of metastases and poor survival despite aggressive multimodality treatment. This study analyzes the genetic changes in SDCa, their impact on cancer pathways, and evaluates whether molecular patterns can identify subgroups with distinct clinical characteristics and outcome. Clinicopathologic details and tissue samples from 66 patients (48 males, 18 females) treated between 1995 and 2018 were obtained from multiple institutions.

What are the attitudes of health professionals regarding patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in oncology practice? A mixed-method synthesis of the qualitative evidence.

Background: The adoption of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) in cancer care has been widely advocated, but little is known about the evidence for the implementation of PROMs in practice. Qualitative research captures the perspectives of health professionals as end-users of PROMs and can be used to inform adoption efforts. This paper presents a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research conducted to address the question: What are the attitudes of health professionals towards PROMs in oncology, including any barriers and facilitators to the adoption of PROMS, reported in qualitative evidence?

Methods: Systematic searches of qualitative evidence were undertaken in four databases and reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Identifying the key characteristics of clinical fear of cancer recurrence: An international Delphi study.

Objective: Without an agreed-upon set of characteristics that differentiate clinical from nonclinical levels of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), it is difficult to ensure that FCR severity is appropriately measured, and that those in need of intervention are identified. The objective of this study was to establish expert consensus on the defining features of clinical FCR.

Method: A three-round Delphi was used to reach consensus on the defining features of clinical FCR.

The Elusive Search for Success: Defining and Measuring Implementation Outcomes in a Real-World Hospital Trial.

Research efforts to identify factors that influence successful implementation are growing. This paper describes methods of defining and measuring outcomes of implementation success, using a cluster randomized controlled trial with 12 cancer services in Australia comparing the effectiveness of implementation strategies to support adherence to the Australian Clinical Pathway for the Screening, Assessment and Management of Anxiety and Depression in Adult Cancer Patients (ADAPT CP). Using the StaRI guidelines, a process evaluation was planned to explore participant experience of the ADAPT CP, resources and implementation strategies according to the Implementation Outcomes Framework.

4D Monte Carlo dose calculations for pre-treatment quality assurance of VMAT SBRT: a phantom-based feasibility study.

Volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is challenging due to both breathing-induced motion and the dynamic components of the linear accelerator. In this study, a 4D Monte Carlo (4DMC) dose calculation method for VMAT SBRT is proposed and the feasibility of the method is evaluated. A rigidly-moving lung phantom was imaged using four dimensional computed tomography (4DCT).

Psychological intervention (ConquerFear) for treating fear of cancer recurrence: mediators and moderators of treatment efficacy.

Purpose: ConquerFear is an efficacious intervention for fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) that demonstrated greater improvements than an attention control (relaxation training) in a randomized controlled trial. This study aimed to determine mediators and moderators of the relative treatment efficacy of ConquerFear versus relaxation.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-two cancer survivors completed 5 therapy sessions and outcome measures before and after intervention and at 6 months' follow-up.

Continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis: a longitudinal study of intentions and attempts to quit.

Purpose: Continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis is associated with poor treatment outcomes and reduced life expectancy. We aimed to identify the stability of smoking status after diagnosis including quit attempts and quit intentions.

Methods: Participants with a first primary cancer diagnosis were recruited via two state-based registries in Australia.

Elevated levels of soluble PD-L1 are associated with reduced recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer.

To date, no research evaluating the predictive capabilities of soluble programmed cell death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) in thyroid cancer patients has been performed. We aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of sPD-L1 expression in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and to evaluate the association between sPD-L1 levels with tumoural PD-L1 expression and patient outcomes. Pre-treatment levels of serum and plasma sPD-L1 were measured by ELISA in 101 PTC patients.

Multiple health literacy dimensions are associated with physicians' efforts to achieve shared decision-making.

Objectives: Shared decision-making (SDM) in health care is widely encouraged. However, for SDM to occur patients need to be able to obtain, understand and apply medical information. Our aim was to assess the relationship between health literacy (HL), numeracy and SDM (using French translations of validated measures).

A research agenda for fear of cancer recurrence: A Delphi study conducted in Australia.

Objective: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is common, debilitating, and costly to the health system. While there has been a rising trajectory in FCR-related research, there remain many unanswered questions. A research agenda is required to clarify priorities and ensure that research dollars and effort are expended wisely.

Robot or radiation? A qualitative study of the decision support needs of men with localised prostate cancer choosing between robotic prostatectomy and radiotherapy treatment.

Objective: To understand how best to support men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer to decide which treatment option best suits their needs, when robotic prostatectomy and radiotherapy are equally appropriate to offer them.

Methods: Twenty-five men recently diagnosed with localised prostate cancer completed semi-structured interviews asking about information/decision-making needs before and/or after attending a combined clinic in which they consulted a urologist and a radiation oncologist regarding treatment options. Data was transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

The "sphere of care": A qualitative study of colorectal cancer patient and caregiver experiences of support within the cancer treatment setting.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is associated with considerable physical and psychosocial burden. Whilst social support is known to facilitate psychological adjustment to cancer, patients' and caregivers' experiences of social support within a treatment setting and their perceptions of the role of the treating team in providing this support is unknown. Specifically, there is a gap in the research that explores in detail who people affected by colorectal cancer consider to be supportive, and the function, timing and nature of this support, whilst receiving treatment.

Is quality of life a suitable measure of patient decision aid effectiveness? Sub-analysis of a Cochrane systematic review.

Purpose: Patient decision-aids (PtDAs) help patients make informed treatment decisions incorporating their values. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is sometimes an outcome of PtDA effectiveness trials, but its suitability for this purpose is unclear. We sought to provide insights into this question by critically appraising how randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating PtDA effectiveness measure and report HRQOL.

Comparison of implementation strategies to influence adherence to the clinical pathway for screening, assessment and management of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients (ADAPT CP): study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Health service change is difficult to achieve. One strategy to facilitate such change is the clinical pathway, a guide for clinicians containing a defined set of evidence-based interventions for a specific condition. However, optimal strategies for implementing clinical pathways are not well understood.

Prognostic implications of the 8th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has changed the staging system of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in the 8th edition of its staging manual to include depth of invasion (DOI) of the primary tumor as a modifier to the T category and extranodal extension (ENE) to upstage node positive OSCC. This study aims to evaluate the performance of the AJCC 8 pathologic staging system in OSCC and compare it to its predecessor (AJCC 7).

Methods: Analysis of 663 patients with OSCC from a prospective database was performed using the Cox proportional hazards competing risk model.

A protocol for an updated and expanded systematic mixed studies review of fear of cancer recurrence in families and caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer.

Background: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is reportedly common, persistent, associated with significant morbidity and often higher in cancer caregivers than cancer patients. This review will summarise empirical research on FCR to understand its prevalence, severity, correlates, course and impact in families and caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer, and identify tested interventions that reduce its effects.

Methods: This review will include peer-reviewed, empirical, qualitative and/or quantitative studies on fear, worry or concern of patients' cancer returning or progressing among adult family members or caregivers of the cancer patient.

Study protocol for a controlled trial of an eHealth system utilising patient reported outcome measures for personalised treatment and care: PROMPT-Care 2.0.

Background: Routine assessment and clinical utilisation of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures can lead to improved patient outcomes. The PROMPT-Care eHealth system facilitates PRO data capture from cancer patients, data linkage and retrieval to support clinical decisions, patient self-management, and shared care. Pilot testing demonstrated acceptability and feasibility of PROMPT-Care Version 1.

Exploring levels and correlates of health literacy in Arabic and Vietnamese immigrant patients with cancer and their English-speaking counterparts in Australia: a cross-sectional study protocol.

Introduction: For immigrants diagnosed with cancer, the stress of a cancer diagnosis and treatment can be amplified by unfamiliarity with the health system, lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate information, and inability to communicate efficiently and accurately with the treating team. Lower levels of health literacy may be one factor underlying poorer outcomes among immigrant patients with cancer, but there have been few studies exploring this issue to date. This study aims to investigate the levels and correlates of health literacy in two immigrant populations affected by cancer and their English-speaking counterparts.

"It sort of hit me like a baseball bat between the eyes": a qualitative study of the psychosocial experiences of mesothelioma patients and carers.

Purpose: Mesothelioma is an insidious disease with a generally poor prognosis even after invasive treatment. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of patients suffering from mesothelioma and their carers and their perceptions of how their needs may be addressed.

Methods: Eligible patients and carers were identified by a lung cancer care coordinator at each participating site, and invited to participate in one-on-one semi-structured telephone interviews (n = 5 patients, n = 3 carers), or in one of two focus groups (n = 3 patients, n = 3 carers).

Patients' experience of lung cancer care coordination: a quantitative exploration.

Purpose: Improving the coordination of care for people with lung cancer is a health priority. This study aimed to tailor an existing care coordination survey for a lung cancer population, investigate coordination experiences for patients who had received hospital-based treatment and identify any factors that may be associated with poor care coordination.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of lung patients within two tertiary hospitals in Sydney, Australia.

Medical, demographic and psychological correlates of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) morbidity in breast, colorectal and melanoma cancer survivors with probable clinically significant FCR seeking psychological treatment through the ConquerFear study.

Purpose: Despite the prevalence of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), understanding of factors underlying clinically significant FCR is limited. This study examined factors associated with greater FCR morbidity, according to a cognitive processing model, in cancer survivors who screened positively for clinically significant FCR seeking psychological treatment through the ConquerFear trial.

Methods: Participants had completed treatment for breast, colorectal or melanoma cancer 2 months to 5 years previously and scored ≥ 13/36 on the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF).

Differences in LC3B expression and prognostic implications in oropharyngeal and oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Background: This study examined the prognostic significance of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B (LC3B) expression in oropharyngeal and oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The prognostic significance of LC3B expression in relation to human papillomavirus (HPV) status in oropharyngeal SCC was also examined.

Methods: Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded oropharyngeal (n = 47) and oral cavity (n = 95) SCC tissue blocks from patients with long-term recurrence and overall survival data (median = 47 months).

The Unmet Supportive Care Needs of Arab Australian and Arab Jordanian Cancer Survivors: An International Comparative Survey.

Background: Research exploring the unmet supportive care needs of Arab cancer survivors is limited, with most conducted with immigrant groups. No study has compared the unmet supportive care needs of immigrant Arab cancer survivors with Arab cancer survivors living in their native country.

Objective: To explore the unmet supportive care needs of both Arab Australian and Arab Jordanian cancer survivors.