Definition of Palliative Surgery in Cancer Care: A Systematic Review.

Palliative surgery is commonly performed in cancer centers worldwide. Yet, there is little agreement on the definition of palliative surgery or its relevant outcomes. This systematic review sought to characterize the definitions of palliative surgery and outcomes for patients with cancer undergoing thoraco-abdominal procedures.

Radiation-Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Prostate Cancer Survivors: The Hidden Toll.

: Radiation therapy (RT) plays a crucial role in managing prostate cancer, offering effective disease control and improving survival rates in both localized and recurrent cases. However, RT can lead to hemorrhagic cystitis, a significant late complication resulting in chronic morbidity and other health issues. This study aims to evaluate the real-world incidence of radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis requiring surgical intervention.

Impact of an Asian Community-Based Cancer Rehabilitation Program on Health-Related Quality of Life.

Background/objectives: Inpatient exercise-based rehabilitation has been shown to improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in cancer survivors. However, there is a lack of studies on the impact of community-based cancer rehabilitation programs on health-related quality of life, especially in Asian countries.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving patients with cancer at an outpatient community-based rehabilitation center.

Molecular profiling reveals novel therapeutic targets and clonal evolution in ovarian clear cell carcinoma.

Background: Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) has a disproportionately high incidence among women in East Asia. Patients diagnosed with OCCC tend to experience worse clinical outcomes than those with high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) at advanced stages. The unfavorable prognosis of OCCC can be partly attributed to its frequent resistance to conventional chemotherapy.

Rapid Disease Progression of Myelodysplastic Syndrome is Reflected in Transcriptomic and Functional Abnormalities of Bone Marrow MSCs.

Bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are important regulators of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). When transformed to a dysplastic phenotype, MSCs contribute to hematopoietic diseases such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but it remains unclear if there are specific properties in MDS-MSCs that contribute to the disease course. To understand this, we investigated MDS-MSCs from fast (MDSfast) vs slow (MDSslow) progressing disease groups and discovered differences between these groups.

Therapeutic vulnerabilities and pan-cancer landscape of BRAF class III mutations in epithelial solid tumors.

Background: Kinase-impaired class III BRAF mutations have recently received attention as a possible prognostic factor and therapeutic target. Class III BRAF variants differ from class I and class II mutations in terms of mechanism of pathway activation and therapeutic vulnerabilities. Genomic landscape analyses of tumors in large real-world cohorts represent a great opportunity to further characterize tumor-related molecular events and treatment vulnerabilities, however, such data is not yet available for tumors with BRAF class III mutations.

Re-programming by a six-factor-secretome in the patient tumor ecosystem during nutrient stress and drug response.

Cancer cells need nutrients to grow and proliferate. During nutrient stress in the microenvironment, it is unclear or cancer cells can adopt alternative resources to re-wire and survive in patients. We discovered a 6-factor-secretome remarkably sustains a critical cell mass during nutrient stress in a pediatric embryonal brain tumor, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT).

Lost opportunities: the underutilization of castrate-resistant prostate cancer treatment in real-world settings.

Background: Various treatment regimens are now available for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This work evaluates the real-world prescription patterns of CRPC in a large tertiary care center and the factors influencing them.

Methods: Health records of 330 patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC), treated and progressed to CRPC between 2016 and 2020, were reviewed from a prospective uro-oncological database.

Overall Survival with Pembrolizumab in Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Background: In patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer, the phase 3 KEYNOTE-522 trial showed significant improvements in pathological complete response and event-free survival with the addition of pembrolizumab to platinum-containing chemotherapy. Here we report the final results for overall survival.

Methods: We randomly assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, patients with previously untreated stage II or III triple-negative breast cancer to receive neoadjuvant therapy with four cycles of pembrolizumab (at a dose of 200 mg) or placebo every 3 weeks plus paclitaxel and carboplatin, followed by four cycles of pembrolizumab or placebo plus doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide or epirubicin-cyclophosphamide.

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan after Endocrine Therapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Background: Outcomes in patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer worsen after one or more lines of endocrine-based therapy. Trastuzumab deruxtecan has shown efficacy in patients with metastatic breast cancer with low expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) after previous chemotherapy.

Methods: We conducted a phase 3, multicenter, open-label trial involving patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer with low HER2 expression (a score of 1+ or 2+ on immunohistochemical [IHC] analysis and negative results on in situ hybridization) or ultralow HER2 expression (IHC 0 with membrane staining) who had received one or more lines of endocrine-based therapy and no previous chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Glutathione-S-Transferase Theta 2 (GSTT2) Modulates the Response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Immunotherapy in Bladder Cancer Patients.

Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) enzymes detoxify xenobiotics and are implicated in response to anticancer therapy. This study evaluated the association of GST theta 1 (GSTT1), GSTT2, and GSTT2B with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) response in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment. In vitro assessments of GSTT2 knockout (KO) effects were performed using cell lines and dendritic cells (DCs) from GSTT2KO mice.

Surgical prophylaxis in pancreatoduodenectomy: Is cephalosporin still the drug of choice in patients with biliary stents in situ?

Background: Universal surgical prophylaxis for pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is practiced, with cephalosporins recommended in most guidelines. Recent studies suggest piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) prophylaxis in biliary-stented patients is superior in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs). This study aims to refine surgical prophylaxis recommendations based on the local microbial profile and evaluate the clinical outcomes of biliary-stented compared with non-stented patients.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma: From biology to practice to the future.

Recent advancements in comprehending peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) validate and broaden our perspective, highlighting their diverse nature and the varying molecular mechanisms underlying the entities. Based on a comprehensive accumulated understanding, the PTCLs currently overcome the most challenging features of any disease: rarity, incredible heterogeneity, and a lack of any established standard of care. The treatments deployed in the front-line are extrapolated from regimens developed for other diseases.

Top 20 NSCLC Clinical and Translational Science Papers That Shaped the 20 Years Since the Discovery of Activating Mutations in NSCLC. An Editor-in-Chief Expert Panel Consensus Survey.

The year 2024 is the 20 anniversary of the discovery of activating epidermal growth factor receptor () mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Since then, tremendous advances have been made in the treatment of NSCLC based on this discovery. Some of these studies have led to seismic changes in the concept of oncology research and spurred treatment advances beyond NSCLC, leading to a current true era of precision oncology for all solid tumors.

6th and 7th International consensus guidelines for the management of advanced breast cancer (ABC guidelines 6 and 7).

This manuscript describes the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) international consensus guidelines updated at the last two ABC international consensus conferences (ABC 6 in 2021, virtual, and ABC 7 in 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal), organized by the ABC Global Alliance. It provides the main recommendations on how to best manage patients with advanced breast cancer (inoperable locally advanced or metastatic), of all breast cancer subtypes, as well as palliative and supportive care. These guidelines are based on available evidence or on expert opinion when a higher level of evidence is lacking.

Strengthening education and training programmes for medical physics in Asia and the Pacific: the IAEA non-agreement technical cooperation (TC) regional RAS6088 project.

This article documents the work conducted in implementing the IAEA non-agreement TC regional RAS6088 project "Strengthening Education and Training Programmes for Medical Physics". Necessary information on the project was collected from the project counterparts via emails for a period of one month, starting from 21st September 2023, and verified at the Final Regional Coordination Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand from 30th October 2023 to 3rd November 2023. Sixty-three participants were trained in 5 Regional Training Courses (RTCs), with 48%, 32% and 20% in radiation therapy, diagnostic radiology, and nuclear medicine, respectively.

Capmatinib plus nivolumab in pretreated patients with EGFR wild-type advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Dysregulated MET is an established oncogenic driver in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MET signaling may also suppress anticancer immune responses. Concomitant MET inhibition with capmatinib (a MET inhibitor) synergistically enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapies in murine cancer models, regardless of tumor dependency to MET signaling.

Standardizing eligibility and patient selection for Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy: A Delphi consensus statement.

Introduction: Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) is a procedure for minimally invasive drug administration in patients with peritoneal metastasis. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of uniformity in treatment protocols and standardization of this practice. This study aimed to reach a consensus on eligibility, patient selection, and choice of chemotherapy for PIPAC.

Global Outcomes Benchmarks in Laparoscopic Liver Surgery for Segments 7 and 8: International Multicenter Analysis.

Background: In recent years, there has been growing interest in laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and the audit of the results of surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to define reference values for LLR in segments 7 and 8.

Study Design: Data on LLR in segments 7 and 8 between January 2000 and December 2020 were collected from 19 expert centers.