18F-FDG PET/CT for Surveillance in Salivary Gland Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG-PET/CT compared to conventional imaging modalities (CIM) to detect recurrence of primary salivary gland cancers (SGCs).

Data Sources: Review performed on December 26, 2024, using Embase, CINHAL, MEDLINE, and PubMed.

Review Methods: Two blinded reviewers selected studies reporting diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT in identifying locoregional recurrence and/or metastasis in patients with SGCs.

Neoadjuvant Capecitabine in Operable HPV-Negative Head and Neck Cancer: Fortuitous Findings in a Resource Constrained Setting.

Objective: Limited progress has occurred in treating operable human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Accessing timely care remains challenging in public health care systems, potentially resulting in disease progression before treatment initiation.

Study Design: A prospective cohort of patients receiving neoadjuvant capecitabine (NC) was compared to stage-matched patients undergoing standard of care (SC).

Predicting short-term treatment toxicity in head and neck cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Frailty is a recognized condition associated with poorer outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The objective of this study was to ascertain the prognostic significance of various frailty metrics on short-term treatment toxicity in patients with HNC undergoing curative-intent therapy.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review was performed searching multiple databases.

Universal Genetic Testing for Newly Diagnosed Invasive Breast Cancer.

Importance: Between 5% and 10% of breast cancer cases are associated with an inherited germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant (GPV) in a breast cancer susceptibility gene (BCSG), which could alter local and systemic therapy recommendations. Traditional genetic testing criteria misses a proportion of these cases.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and clinicopathological associations of GPVs in 2 groups of BCSGs among an ethnically diverse cohort of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Exploring pregnant individuals' counseling needs regarding urgent imaging to rule out pulmonary embolism.

Background: Computed tomography pulmonary angiogram and lung scintigraphy with ventilation/perfusion scan are needed to diagnose pulmonary embolism (PE) in pregnancy. Their associated ionizing radiation doses are considered safe in pregnancy. A standardized patient information tool may improve patient counseling and reduce testing hesitancy.

Screening for hypertension in adults: protocol for evidence reviews to inform a Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care guideline update.

Purpose: To inform updated recommendations by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care on screening in a primary care setting for hypertension in adults aged 18 years and older. This protocol outlines the scope and methods for a series of systematic reviews and one overview of reviews.

Methods: To evaluate the benefits and harms of screening for hypertension, the Task Force will rely on the relevant key questions from the 2021 United States Preventive Services Task Force systematic review.

Generalization optimizing machine learning to improve CT scan radiomics and assess immune checkpoint inhibitors' response in non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter cohort study.

Background: Recent developments in artificial intelligence suggest that radiomics may represent a promising non-invasive biomarker to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Nevertheless, validation of radiomics algorithms in independent cohorts remains a challenge due to variations in image acquisition and reconstruction. Using radiomics, we investigated the importance of scan normalization as part of a broader machine learning framework to enable model external generalizability to predict ICI response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients across different centers.

Validity, Reliability, and Differential Item Functioning of English and French Versions of the 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale in Systemic Sclerosis: A Scleroderma Patient-Centered Intervention Network Cohort Study.

Objective: Some individuals with systemic sclerosis (SSc) report positive mental health, despite severe disease manifestations, which may be associated with resilience, but no resilience measure has been validated in SSc. This study was undertaken to assess the validity, reliability, and differential item functioning (DIF) between English- and French-language versions of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) in SSc.

Methods: Eligible participants were enrolled in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort and completed the CD-RISC-10 between August 2022 and January 2023.

Gynecological Cancer Survivors' Experiences of Dyspareunia and Factors Influencing Care-Seeking Behavior: A Qualitative Study.

Pain during sexual intercourse, also called dyspareunia, affects most women after treatment for gynecological cancer. Previous work adopted a biomedical approach to depict dyspareunia in this population, which provided a narrow perspective of this condition. Taking into account women's experiences of dyspareunia and the factors influencing their care-seeking behaviors would provide insight to improve care in the context of gynecological cancer.

Development and validation of the modified index of fragility in head and neck cancer surgery.

Background: This study aims to develop and validate, a clinically useful modified index of fragility (mIFG) to identify patients at risk of fragility and to predict postoperative adverse events.

Method: An observational study was performed using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, from 2006 to 2018. All patients undergoing nonemergency head and neck cancer surgery were included.

Structural basis of mammalian respiratory complex I inhibition by medicinal biguanides.

The molecular mode of action of biguanides, including the drug metformin, which is widely used in the treatment of diabetes, is incompletely characterized. Here, we define the inhibitory drug-target interaction(s) of a model biguanide with mammalian respiratory complex I by combining cryo-electron microscopy and enzyme kinetics. We interpret these data to explain the selectivity of biguanide binding to different enzyme states.

Response to Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy in Operable Head and Neck Cancer Confers Survival Benefit.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant targeted therapy provides a brief, preoperative window of opportunity that can be exploited to individualize cancer care based on treatment response. We investigated whether response to neoadjuvant therapy during the preoperative window confers survival benefit in patients with operable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Patients And Methods: A pooled analysis of treatment-naïve patients with operable HNSCC enrolled in one of three clinical trials from 2009 to 2020 (NCT00779389, NCT01218048, NCT02473731).

Screening for prostate cancer: protocol for updating multiple systematic reviews to inform a Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care guideline update.

Purpose: To inform updated recommendations by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care on screening for prostate cancer in adults aged 18 years and older in primary care. This protocol outlines the planned scope and methods for a series of systematic reviews.

Methods: Updates of two systematic reviews and a de novo review will be conducted to synthesize the evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and/or digital rectal examination (DRE) (with or without additional information) and patient values and preferences.

Interventions to address potentially inappropriate prescriptions and over-the-counter medication use among adults 65 years and older in primary care settings: protocol for a systematic review.

Purpose: To inform recommendations by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care on potentially inappropriate prescribing and over-the-counter (OTC) medication use among adults aged 65 years and older in primary care settings. This protocol outlines the planned scope and methods for a systematic review of the benefits and harms and acceptability of interventions to reduce potentially inappropriate prescriptions and OTC medication use.

Methods: De novo systematic reviews will be conducted to synthesize the available evidence on (a) the benefits and harms of interventions to reduce potentially inappropriate prescriptions and OTC medications compared to no intervention, usual care, or non- or minimally active intervention among adults aged 65 years and older and (b) the acceptability of these interventions or attributes among patients.

Acceptability of multimodal pelvic floor physical therapy to treat dyspareunia after gynecological malignancies: a qualitative study of women's views and experiences.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Multimodal pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is recommended after gynecological malignancies to treat dyspareunia. However, data to strongly support its implementation in the cancer care continuum are lacking. The aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of gynecological cancer survivors with dyspareunia regarding the acceptability of multimodal PFPT.

Randomized feasibility trial of the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network hand exercise program (SPIN-HAND).

Purpose: The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) online hand exercise program (SPIN-HAND), is an online self-help program of hand exercises designed to improve hand function for people with scleroderma. The objective of this feasibility trial was to evaluate aspects of feasibility for conducting a full-scale randomized controlled trial of the SPIN-HAND program.

Materials And Methods: The feasibility trial was embedded in the SPIN cohort and utilized the cohort multiple randomized controlled trial (cmRCT) design.

serology is associated with worse overall survival in patients with melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The microbiome is now regarded as one of the hallmarks of cancer and several strategies to modify the gut microbiota to improve immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) activity are being evaluated in clinical trials. Preliminary data regarding the upper gastro-intestinal microbiota indicated that seropositivity was associated with a negative prognosis in patients amenable to ICI. In 97 patients with advanced melanoma treated with ICI, we assessed the impact of on outcomes and microbiome composition.

Changes in Polypharmacy and Psychotropic Medication Use After Diagnosis of Major Neurocognitive Disorders: A Population-based Study in Québec, Canada.

Background: Older adults with major neurocognitive disorder (MNCD) are often exposed to polypharmacy. We aimed to assess the prescribing and discontinuation patterns of medications following diagnosis of MNCD among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System, we conducted a population-based cohort study comparing 1-year prediagnosis and postdiagnosis use of medications between a group of individuals older than 65 years newly diagnosed with MNCD in 2016-2017 and a control group without MNCD.

Randomized feasibility trial of the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Self-Management (SPIN-SELF) Program.

Background: The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) developed an online self-management program (SPIN-SELF) designed to improve disease-management self-efficacy in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc, or scleroderma). The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility aspects for conducting a full-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the SPIN-SELF Program.

Methods: This feasibility trial was embedded in the SPIN Cohort and utilized the cohort multiple RCT design.

Changes in pelvic floor morphometry and muscle function after multimodal physiotherapy for gynaecological cancer survivors suffering from dyspareunia: a prospective interventional study.

Objective: To investigate the changes in pelvic floor morphometry and muscle function after multimodal pelvic floor physiotherapy treatment in gynaecological cancer survivors suffering from painful intercourse (dyspareunia).

Design: Prospective interventional study.

Setting: Three university hospitals.

Improvements following multimodal pelvic floor physical therapy in gynecological cancer survivors suffering from pain during sexual intercourse: Results from a one-year follow-up mixed-method study.

Background: A large proportion of gynecological cancer survivors suffer from pain during sexual intercourse, also known as dyspareunia. Following a multimodal pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) treatment, a reduction in pain and improvement in psychosexual outcomes were found in the short term, but no study thus far has examined whether these changes are sustained over time.

Purpose: To examine the improvements in pain, sexual functioning, sexual distress, body image concerns, pain anxiety, pain catastrophizing, painful intercourse self-efficacy, depressive symptoms and pelvic floor disorder symptoms in gynecological cancer survivors with dyspareunia after PFPT, and to explore women's perceptions of treatment effects at one-year follow-up.