Challenges in assessing national radiotherapy costs: application of the ESTRO-HERO model in Spain.

Background And Purpose: The aim was to estimate the cost of the external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in public health care centers in Catalonia (Spain), according to the ESTRO-HERO costing model for 2018.

Materials And Methods: Personnel, equipment, and activity data from 2018 from the 11 RT centers were used, incorporating European mean values adapted to the Catalan context. Secondly, EBRT costs were estimated, incorporating 2023 fractionation technique and scheme usage percentages.

Knowledge and quality of life in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy for the first time. A cross-sectional study about being informed.

Purpose: Patients receiving immunotherapy need to have a good understanding of how immunology works and which toxicities they can expect. This study aimed to assess patients' knowledge on their immunotherapies and their quality of life before and after receiving immunotherapy for the first time in a cancer centre.

Methods: From July 2018 to September 2020, all patients treated at the cancer centre receiving first-time immunotherapy were invited to participate in a cross-sectional descriptive study.

H3K9me3 demethylation by JMJD2B is regulated by pirfenidone resulting in improved NASH.

NASH is characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation; and JMJD2B-a histone demethylase-upregulation has been linked to its progression. Pirfenidone (PFD) is an antifibrotic agent with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects recognized to decrease NASH symptoms. Herein, our aim was to investigate PFD-induced epigenetics mechanisms involving JMJD2B and histone modifications in experimental NASH.

Usefulness and Safety Evaluation of Chemotherapy Administration Device for Nurses: Experimental Study.

Objective: Antineoplastic drugs are considered high risk, and computerized systems favor safe administration. The objective of the study was to test the usefulness and safety of a new mobile device compared to the standard device for administering these antineoplastic treatments.

Data Sources: This multicenter, quasi-experimental pre-post study assessed an intervention in two cancer centers in June and July 2020.

Umbilical incisional hernias (M3): are trocar-site hernias different? Comparative analysis of the EVEREG registry⋆.

Background: Incisional hernia (HI), in open and laparoscopic surgery, is a very frequent complication. HI located in the umbilical region are called M3. The main aim of this study is to compare HI produced by the placement of an umbilical laparoscopic trocar (M3T) with those located in M3 in open surgery (M3O) in terms of basal characteristics, complications and recurrences; and secondarily the identification of risk factors.

COVID-19 in breast cancer patients: a subanalysis of the OnCovid registry.

Background: Cancer patients are at higher risk of COVID-19 complications and mortality than the rest of the population. Breast cancer patients seem to have better prognosis when infected by SARS-CoV-2 than other cancer patients.

Methods: We report a subanalysis of the OnCovid study providing more detailed information in the breast cancer population.

Association of hepatitis B virus infection status with outcomes of non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and survival outcomes of anti-programmed cell death (PD)-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) monotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and different hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection status.

Methods: Patients with advanced NSCLC and both chronic and/or resolved HBV infection who were treated with anti-PD-(L)1 monotherapy were retrospectively enrolled. The primary endpoint was the safety of PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy, while the secondary endpoints included the survival outcomes.

CX-072 (pacmilimab), a Probody PD-L1 inhibitor, in advanced or recurrent solid tumors (PROCLAIM-CX-072): an open-label dose-finding and first-in-human study.

Background: Probody therapeutics are antibody prodrugs that are activated in the tumor microenvironment by tumor-associated proteases, thereby restricting the activity to the tumor microenvironment and minimizing 'off-tumor' toxicity. We report dose-escalation and single-agent expansion phase data from the first-in-human study of CX-072 (pacmilimab), a Probody checkpoint inhibitor directed against programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1).

Methods: In the dose-escalation phase of this multicenter, open-label study (NCT03013491), adults with advanced solid tumors (naive to programmed-death-1/PD-L1 or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 inhibitors) were enrolled into one of seven dose-escalation cohorts, with pacmilimab administered intravenously every 14 days.

Quality of Life After Stereotactic Body Radiation therapy Versus Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery in Early stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Is there Enough Data to Make a Recommendation?

Background And Aim: Health reported quality of life test (HRQOLT) in oncologic patients has become a major concern. Early stage in non-small cell lung cancer has two options for treatment in fragile population: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Which option should be recommended in daily clinical practice remains a challenging question.

Lenvatinib in Patients With Advanced Grade 1/2 Pancreatic and Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors: Results of the Phase II TALENT Trial (GETNE1509).

Purpose: Approved systemic therapies for advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) have shown limited capacity to reduce tumor burden and no antitumor activity after progression to targeted agents (TAs). We investigated the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib in patients with previously treated advanced GEP-NETs.

Patients And Methods: This was a multicenter, single-arm, open-label, phase II trial with two parallel cohorts (ClinicalTrials.

Rare ovarian tumours. Other treatments for ovarian cancer.

Aim: The description of rare malignant ovarian tumours and the most suitable treatments. Alternative therapies different from intravenous chemotherapy are also explained.

Methods: Literature review and ongoing trial information have been used to elaborate this guide.

The use and adherence of oral anticoagulants in Primary Health Care in Catalunya, Spain: A real-world data cohort study.

Objective: We aimed to describe sociodemographic, comorbidities, co-medication and risk of thromboembolic events and bleeding in patients with NVAF initiating oral anticoagulants (OAC) for stroke prevention, and to estimate adherence and persistence to OAC.

Setting: Primary Health Care (PHC) in the Catalan Health Institute (ICS), Catalunya, Spain.

Participants: All NVAF adult patients initiating OAC for stroke prevention in August 2013-December 2015.

Efficacy and safety results from GEICO 1205, a randomized phase II trial of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: Bevacizumab is an approved treatment after primary debulking surgery for ovarian cancer. However, there is limited information on bevacizumab added to neoadjuvant chemotherapy before interval debulking surgery.

Objective: To evaluate neoadjuvant bevacizumab in a randomized phase II trial.

Alternative HPV vaccination schedules in Latin America.

In 2008, the first HPV vaccination program in Latin America started in Panama, targeting girls aged 10-11 years with a 3-dose vaccine schedule, an initiative that was to be followed by other Latin American countries after local feasibility and population acceptability evaluations were completed. A 3-dose vaccine regimen over six months was originally chosen for HPV vaccines, copying the Hepatitis B vaccine schedule (0, 1-2, 6 months). Alternative vaccine schedules have been proposed afterwards based on: i) noninferior immunogenicity or immune response levels compared to those at which clinical efficacy has been proven (i.

A sample of non-nutritive sucking habits (pacifier and digit) in portuguese children and its relation with the molar classes of angle.

Background: Little is known about the effect of non-nutritive sucking habits (pacifier and digital sucking) in the prevalence of molar Class in mixed dentition. The aim of this study was determinate the relation between non-nutritive sucking habits, and Angle´s molar Class, in the horizontal plane, and it´s relation with gender. A convenience sample of 326 children with ages between 6 and 12 years was selected from three schools of Oporto.

Nanoparticles applied to cancer immunoregulation.

Aim: In recent years, we have seen a considerable increase in the relevance of nanostructures for the safe delivery of therapeutic agents and their capacity as an immunomodulatory tool.

Materials And Methods: Potential clinical applications related to their unique structural properties have been described in the evolving landscape of immunotherapy.

Results: This review briefly summarizes the evidence for the role of nanoparticles in regulating the immune response.

Doppler ultrasonography of superficial temporal artery in a cohort of patients with strong clinical suspicion of giant cell arteritis.

Background And Objective: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most frequent systemic vasculitis in adults. In recent years, the usefulness of temporal artery ultrasound (TAUS) as a diagnostic tool to assess the underlying inflammation of the vascular wall during the inflammatory process has been under clinical investigation.

Material And Methods: Observational and descriptive cohort study of 120 TAUS in 60 patients with clinical suspicions of GCA, according to the ACR (American College of Rheumatology) classification criteria.

Characteristics of Apixaban-Treated Patients, Evaluation of the Dose Prescribed, and the Persistence of Treatment: A Cohort Study in Catalonia.

Background: Apixaban is a direct oral anticoagulant, which inhibits factor Xa. It has demonstrated clinical efficacy in prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in adult patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and a better safety profile compared to warfarin.

Objectives: (1) To describe the characteristics of patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation beginning treatment with apixaban, (2) to analyze concomitant prescriptions of medications that could potentially interact with apixaban, (3) to evaluate the level of appropriate usage according to the recommended dosage, and (4) to estimate the level of apixaban persistence among naive and non-naive patients.

Balixafortide plus eribulin in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer: a phase 1, single-arm, dose-escalation trial.

Background: The C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4)-stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) axis regulates function and trafficking of immune cells and the tumour microenvironment. CXCR4 antagonists have been shown to enhance the activity of different anticancer treatments in preclinical models. We assessed the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary phase 1 activity of the CXCR4 antagonist, balixafortide, in combination with eribulin chemotherapy in patients with heavily pretreated, relapsed metastatic breast cancer.

Improving radiation oncology through clinical audits: Introducing the IROCA project.

As radiotherapy practice and processes become more complex, the need to assure quality control becomes ever greater. At present, no international consensus exists with regards to the optimal quality control indicators for radiotherapy; moreover, few clinical audits have been conducted in the field of radiotherapy. The present article describes the aims and current status of the international IROCA "Improving Radiation Oncology Through Clinical Audits" project.

Concurrent once-daily versus twice-daily chemoradiotherapy in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (CONVERT): an open-label, phase 3, randomised, superiority trial.

Background: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard of care in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer, but the optimal radiotherapy schedule and dose remains controversial. The aim of this study was to establish a standard chemoradiotherapy treatment regimen in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Methods: The CONVERT trial was an open-label, phase 3, randomised superiority trial.

Maps of systematic variation in renal replacement therapy in Catalonia (2002-2012).

Introduction: Variations in the use of healthcare services can be defined as systematic variations of adjusted rates for certain aggregation levels of the population. The study analyses how renal replacement therapy (RRT) is used, identifying RRT variability in Catalonia from 2002 to 2012.

Material And Methods: Ecological study by health area using data from the Catalan renal registry.