Transoral laser microsurgery versus radiation therapy in the management of T1 and T2 laryngeal glottic carcinoma: which modality is cost-effective within the UK?

Objectives: To identify the most cost-effective treatment strategy in patients with early stage (T1 and T2) cancers of the laryngeal glottis.

Design: A Markov decision model populated using data from updated systematic reviews and meta-analyses, with attributable costs from NHS sources. Data on local control and mortality were obtained from updates of existing systematic reviews conducted for the NICE guideline on cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Mucosal melanoma of the upper airways tract mucosal melanoma: A systematic review with meta-analyses of treatment.

Background: Mucosal melanoma of the upper aerodigestive tract (MM-UADT) occurs in a complex anatomic region. It represents a small number of tumors of the head and neck and a small number of melanoma cases.

Methods: Search strategies initially identified 600, 11 of which were included in this study.

Axillary surgery in women with sentinel node-positive operable breast cancer: a systematic review with meta-analyses.

Traditionally, women with node-positive operable breast cancer have received complete axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), which is associated with significant morbidity, but recently less invasive alternatives have been explored. We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials assessing alternative approaches to axillary surgery in patients with pathologically-confirmed sentinel node-positive operable breast cancer. We searched on 16/3/15 the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Breast Cancer group; CENTRAL; MEDLINE; PreMEDLINE; EMBASE; WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Portal; ClinicalTrials.

The effectiveness of buprenorphine for treating cancer pain: an abridged Cochrane review.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and tolerability of buprenorphine for cancer pain in adults and children.

Methods: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, ISI BIOSIS, ClinicalTrials.gov, metaRegister of Controlled Trials, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and the Proceedings of the Congress of the European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain to early 2015.

The association between symptoms and bladder or renal tract cancer in primary care: a systematic review.

Background: Appropriate selection for further investigation of patients presenting in primary care with symptoms that may indicate cancer is key to early diagnosis.

Aim: To quantify the risk of urinary tract cancer in patients presenting in primary care with symptoms that may indicate bladder or renal cancer.

Design And Setting: Systematic review of studies relating to bladder or renal cancer in primary care.

Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer in Primary Care: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to quantify the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients presenting in primary care with symptoms that may indicate pancreatic cancer.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ISI Proceedings (1980 to August 2014) and PsychINFO (1980 to May 2013) for diagnostic studies of symptomatic adult patients in primary care. Study quality was assessed using QUADAS-II, and data were extracted to calculate the positive predictive values (PPVs) of symptoms, singly or in combination, for pancreatic cancer.

Symptomatic diagnosis of cancer of the brain and central nervous system in primary care: a systematic review.

Background: We performed a systematic review of diagnostic studies of symptomatic patients in primary care to quantify the risk of brain/central nervous system (CNS) cancer in patients presenting in primary care with symptoms that may indicate brain/CNS cancer.

Objective: To quantify the risk of brain/CNS cancer in symptomatic patients presenting in primary care.

Methods: We searched Medline, Premedline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and ISI Proceedings (1980 to August 2014) and PsychInfo (1980 to February 2013) for diagnostic studies of symptomatic adult patients in primary care.

Oxycodone for Cancer Pain in Adult Patients.

Clinical Question: Is oxycodone associated with greater efficacy and fewer adverse events compared with alternative analgesics for cancer pain?

Bottom Line: Oxycodone was not associated with superior cancer pain relief or fewer adverse effects compared with other strong opioids, such as morphine or oxymorphone. However, the quality of the evidence was low.

FDG-PET/CT imaging for mediastinal staging in patients with potentially resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Clinical Question: What is the sensitivity and specificity of 18F-fludeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) imaging for detecting mediastinal lymph node involvement in patients with potentially resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)?

Bottom Line: Sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET/CT imaging ranged from 0.77 to 0.81 for sensitivity and 0.

Buprenorphine for treating cancer pain.

Background: Many patients with cancer experience moderate to severe pain that requires treatment with strong analgesics. Buprenorphine, fentanyl and morphine are examples of strong opioids used for cancer pain relief. However, strong opioids are ineffective as pain treatment in all patients and are not well-tolerated by all patients.

Oxycodone for cancer-related pain.

Background: Many patients with cancer experience moderate to severe pain that requires treatment with strong opioids, of which oxycodone and morphine are examples. Strong opioids are, however, not effective for pain in all patients, nor are they well-tolerated by all patients. The aim of this review was to assess whether oxycodone is associated with better pain relief and tolerability than other analgesic options for patients with cancer pain.

PET-CT for assessing mediastinal lymph node involvement in patients with suspected resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: A major determinant of treatment offered to patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is their intrathoracic (mediastinal) nodal status. If the disease has not spread to the ipsilateral mediastinal nodes, subcarinal (N2) nodes, or both, and the patient is otherwise considered fit for surgery, resection is often the treatment of choice. Planning the optimal treatment is therefore critically dependent on accurate staging of the disease.

Hormone and radiotherapy versus hormone or radiotherapy alone for non-metastatic prostate cancer: a systematic review with meta-analyses.

Aims: Radiotherapy is standard treatment for localised prostate cancer and is often combined with hormone treatment to prevent androgen stimulation of prostate cancer. Hormone therapy carries significant morbidity and can only be justified in the radical treatment of localised disease if it can be balanced against a significant gain in disease control and survival.

Materials And Methods: We searched Medline, Premedline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science (SCI & SSCI) and Biomed Central for randomised controlled trials published in English comparing radiotherapy or hormone therapy alone with radiotherapy and hormone therapy in combination as first-line treatment in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer reporting overall survival, disease-free survival, distant metastases-free survival, biochemical survival, adverse events (including cardiovascular) and/or health-related quality of life.

The effect of preoperative smoking cessation or preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation on outcomes after lung cancer surgery: a systematic review.

The preferred treatment for lung cancer is surgery if the disease is considered resectable and the patient is considered surgically fit. Preoperative smoking cessation and/or preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation might improve postoperative outcomes after lung cancer surgery. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine the effectiveness of (1) preoperative smoking cessation and (2) preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation on peri- and postoperative outcomes in patients who undergo resection for lung cancer.

What is the most effective follow-up model for lung cancer patients? A systematic review.

Introduction: In the U.K. more than 40,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year and an estimated 65,000 people are living with lung cancer.

Lung cancer management in limited resource settings: guidelines for appropriate good care.

Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer death worldwide and is becoming an increasing problem in developing countries. It is important that, in countries where health care resources are limited, these resources are used most effectively and cost-effectively. The authors, with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency, drew on existing evidence-based clinical guidelines, published systematic reviews and meta-analyses, as well as recent research publications, to summarise the current evidence and to make broad recommendations on the non-surgical treatment of patients with lung cancer.