Retrospective quality of life study in patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma in an Asian population.

Background: Retroperitoneal sarcoma represents 15% of sarcomas. The mainstay of treatment is surgery where a majority of patients require multi-visceral resections that may significantly impact their quality of life (QOL) following surgery. Studies in other cancers have shown that QOL may not be significantly impacted after radical or extensive surgery.

Risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation in the emergency department.

Introduction And Methods: Early and accurate risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in the emergency department (ED) could aid the physician in determining a timely treatment strategy appropriate to the severity of disease. We conducted a retrospective review of 243 adult patients who presented to a tertiary ED with AF in 2017. Primary outcome studied was 30-day adverse event (a composite outcome of repeat visit to the ED, cardiovascular complications, and all-cause mortality).

New Advances in Magnetic Resonance Techniques in Abdomen and Pelvis.

This article explores new acquisition methods in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to provide high spatial and temporal resolution imaging for a wide spectrum of clinical applications in the abdomen and pelvis. We present an overview of some of these advanced MR techniques, such as non-cartesian image acquisition, fast sampling and compressed sensing, diffusion quantification and quantitative MR that can improve data sampling, enhance image quality, yield quantitative measurements, and/or optimize diagnostic performance in the body.

An Asian Body to Tackle Cancers in Asia - The Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance.

The socioeconomic burden of cancer is growing rapidly in the Asian region, with a concentrated burden on low- and middle- income countries. The residents of this region, representing almost 60% of the global population, demonstrate an eclectic and complex nature, with huge disparities in ethnicity, sociocultural practices among others. The Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA) was established in 2005 by heads of several national cancer centers (NCCs) in the region to address common issues and concerns among Asian countries.

Perceptions on site-specific advanced practice roles for radiation therapists in Singapore - A single centre study.

Perception of the radiation oncologists (ROs) and radiation therapists (RTTs) on site-specific advanced practice (SSAP) roles for RTTs, the establishment of SSAP in radiotherapy and the possible implication on current services in Singapore were assessed. Opinions of ROs and RTTs on management support, driving forces, restraints and implication upon successful establishment of SSAP were obtained. Main findings include strong RO's support for SSAP development and RTTs' requisition for fair opportunities on role development.

Targeting Aberrant RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK Signaling for Cancer Therapy.

The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling cascade is essential for cell inter- and intra-cellular communication, which regulates fundamental cell functions such as growth, survival, and differentiation. The MAPK pathway also integrates signals from complex intracellular networks in performing cellular functions. Despite the initial discovery of the core elements of the MAPK pathways nearly four decades ago, additional findings continue to make a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of this pathway challenging.

Duration-dependent margins for prostate radiotherapy-a practical motion mitigation strategy.

Background And Objective: The magnitude of intra-fractional prostate displacement (change from initial position over time) is associated with the duration of the patient lying on the radiotherapy treatment couch. This study reports a minute-by-minute association and calculates the impact of this displacement on duration-dependent margins using real-time intra-fractional position data monitored by four-dimensional transperineal ultrasound (4D TPUS).

Materials And Methods: A total of 55 patients were recruited prospectively.

Efficacy and Safety of Nivestim Versus Neupogen for Mobilization of Peripheral Blood Stem Cells for Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Singapore General Hospital to study the safety and efficacy of biosimilar granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) Nivestim for chemo-mobilization of stem cells for autologous stem cell transplant (autoSCT). All patients who underwent an autoSCT between January 2011 and December 2016 were screened for eligibility. A total of 194 patients were screened, and 131 were included.