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1.
Anesthesia Related to Breast Cancer Recurrence and Chronic Pain: A Review of Current Research.
Kujawa, E, Blau, A, Rametta, L
AANA journal. 2021;(4):291-298
Abstract
Patients with breast cancer often require several procedures requiring anesthesia, such as central venous catheter placements, mastectomies, lymph node dissections, and reconstructive surgeries. Recent research findings have suggested there may be a reduced risk of cancer recurrence and chronic pain with specific anesthetic techniques. Regional techniques, total intravenous anesthetics, and select adjuncts have been reviewed to identify their role in breast cancer recurrence and chronic pain. A review of the pathophysiology as it pertains to volatile anesthetics, propofol as a total intravenous anesthetic, paravertebral nerve blocks, dexmedetomidine, and ketorolac, as well as the role each of these plays in the prevention of chronic pain and cancer recurrence is provided. Current research and recommendations for practice are presented in the context of providing anesthesia to mitigate chronic pain and cancer recurrence in patients with breast cancer.
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2.
When dormancy fuels tumour relapse.
Santos-de-Frutos, K, Djouder, N
Communications biology. 2021;(1):747
Abstract
Tumour recurrence is a serious impediment to cancer treatment, but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. The most frequently used anti-tumour therapies-chemotherapy and radiotherapy-target highly proliferative cancer cells. However non- or slow-proliferative dormant cancer cells can persist after treatment, eventually causing tumour relapse. Whereas the reversible growth arrest mechanism allows quiescent cells to re-enter the cell cycle, senescent cells are largely thought to be irreversibly arrested, and may instead contribute to tumour growth and relapse through paracrine signalling mechanisms. Thus, due to the differences in their growth arrest mechanism, metabolic features, plasticity and adaptation to their respective tumour microenvironment, dormant-senescent and -quiescent cancer cells could have different but complementary roles in fuelling tumour growth. In this review article, we discuss the implication of dormant cancer cells in tumour relapse and the need to understand how quiescent and senescent cells, respectively, may play a part in this process.
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3.
[Neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer].
Bachet, JB, Benoist, S, Mas, L, Huguet, F
Bulletin du cancer. 2021;(9):855-867
Abstract
The management of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer has improved significantly in the past few years with preoperative radiotherapy (RT) and total mesorectal excision. The rate of local recurrence is now around 5 % while the risk of metastatic recurrence has not been reduced which is about 30 %. The benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy remains questionable apart from patients with ypN+tumor after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for whom FOLFOX is an option. In recent years, several therapeutic trials have evaluated the benefit of extending the time between the end of RT and surgery and/or the benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, administered as induction (before RT) or in consolidation (after RT and before surgery). The first results of two positive phase 3 trials, PRODIGE 23 and RAPIDO, have been reported in 2020. The two regimens evaluated in these trials are markedly different but have shown that neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly reduces the risk of distant metastasis. Current developments largely related to a de-escalation of therapy: organ conservation according to a "Watch and Wait" strategy or local resection of the scar, administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy without RT. These therapeutic strategies have not yet been validated but should be in the news tomorrow. The purpose of this review is to present recent data reported in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
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4.
Extraprostatic Uptake of 18F-Fluciclovine: Differentiation of Nonprostatic Neoplasms From Metastatic Prostate Cancer.
Robertson, MS, Sakellis, CG, Hyun, H, Jacene, HA
AJR. American journal of roentgenology. 2020;(3):641-648
Abstract
OBJECTIVE. Fluciclovine is a synthetic radiolabeled amino acid analog used for imaging of biochemical recurrent prostate cancer. Uptake of fluciclovine is mediated by several amino acid transporters, including alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 and large neutral amino acid transporters, which are known to be overexpressed in other malignancies. CONCLUSION. Knowledge of the common patterns of prostate cancer recurrence, in addition to what other neoplasms can show uptake, is critical for accurate study interpretation.
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5.
Bridging the Imaging Gap: PSMA PET/CT Has a High Impact on Treatment Planning in Prostate Cancer Patients with Biochemical Recurrence-A Narrative Review of the Literature.
Ekmekcioglu, Ö, Busstra, M, Klass, ND, Verzijlbergen, F
Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. 2019;(10):1394-1398
Abstract
68Ga- and 18F-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) molecules have created new opportunities for the unmet diagnostic needs in prostate cancer. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of studies that have examined the role of PSMA PET in treatment planning for prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR). Methods: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central were searched for relevant articles. After excluding the articles that did not fulfill the required criteria, we included in this review 12 publications that reported the impact of PSMA PET on the treatment plan for prostate cancer patients with BCR. Results: All studies in our review emphasized the impact of PSMA PET images on therapy management in prostate cancer patients with BCR. Overall, the impact of PSMA PET/CT on therapy management varied between 30% and 76% among the 1,346 patients included in the review. Upstaging was reported in 32%-67% of the patients. Patients with low prostate-specific antigen values (<0.5 ng/mL) also demonstrated positive lesions, which could not have been detected by means of conventional imaging techniques. Important modifications to the original treatment plan included avoidance of systemic therapy (17%-40%) and PET-directed local therapy (in ≤60% of the patients). Conclusion: PSMA imaging demonstrated a high clinical impact in patients with BCR, with modifications to the original treatment plan occurring among half the patients. Detecting recurrence in BCR can prevent unnecessary toxicity and lead to individualized therapy.
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6.
Chemoprevention of colorectal cancer: Past, present, and future.
Umezawa, S, Higurashi, T, Komiya, Y, Arimoto, J, Horita, N, Kaneko, T, Iwasaki, M, Nakagama, H, Nakajima, A
Cancer science. 2019;(10):3018-3026
Abstract
Chemoprevention began to be considered as a potential strategy for lowering the incidence of cancer and cancer-related deaths in the 1970s. For clinical chemoprevention trials against cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC), well-established biomarkers are necessary for use as reliable endpoints. Difficulty in establishing validated biomarkers has delayed the start of CRC chemoprevention development. Chemoprevention trials for CRC have only recently been initiated thanks to the identification of reliable biomarkers, such as colorectal adenomas and aberrant crypt foci. Some promising agents have been developed for the prevention of CRC. The chemopreventive effect of selective cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors has been shown, although these inhibitors are associated with cardiovascular toxicity as a crucial adverse effect. Aspirin, which is a unique agent among non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) showing minimal gastrointestinal toxicity and no cardiovascular risk, has prevented adenoma recurrence in some randomized controlled trials. More recently, metformin, which is a first-line oral medicine for type 2 diabetes, has been shown to be safe and to prevent adenoma recurrence. A recommendation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force published in 2016 provides a Grade B recommendation for the use of aspirin for chronic prophylaxis against diseases, including CRC, in certain select populations. However, the roles of other agents have yet to be determined, and investigations to identify novel "post-aspirin" agents are also needed. The combined use of multiple drugs, such as aspirin and metformin, is another option that may lead not only to stronger CRC prevention, but also to improvement of other obesity-related diseases.
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7.
Treatment of Patients with Advanced Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma: Does Age Matter?
Lorenzen, S, Hofheinz, RD
Drugs & aging. 2019;(5):403-409
Abstract
Gastroesophageal cancer is the fourth most frequent malignant disease and, despite significant advances in chemotherapy, the prognosis of unresectable or recurrent gastroesophageal cancer is poor. The majority of patients, nearly two-thirds, are over the age of 65 years at diagnosis. Elderly patients are a heterogeneous population and aging occurs at different rates in different individuals. The chronological age of a patient does not necessarily reflect the physiological age. However, elderly patients are more likely to have a number of concomitant diseases and impaired organ function, which should be considered when making treatment decisions. Therefore, treatment in older adults requires particular caution, and physiologic age rather than chronologic age should be considered when deciding for or against systemic therapy. Older patients are generally underrepresented in clinical trials and many elderly patients do not receive effective combination therapies due to concerns with tolerability. Age itself is not a negative predictive factor and treatment should not be omitted just on the basis of chronological age. Older patients who fulfill the standard inclusion criteria of clinical trials seem to have a similar advantage from palliative chemotherapy for gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma as younger patients; however, large prospective trials in the elderly population are needed to guide clinicians in making evidence-based decisions.
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8.
Effect of antihypertensive drugs on breast cancer risk in female hypertensive patients: Evidence from observational studies.
Zhao, Y, Wang, Q, Zhao, X, Meng, H, Yu, J
Clinical and experimental hypertension (New York, N.Y. : 1993). 2018;(1):22-27
Abstract
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the association between antihypertensive drugs and risk of breast cancer, and provide therapeutic implications for female hypertensive patients with different physical appearance. The prevalence of hypertension and female breast cancer is on the rise with age. It has been suggested that ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers), ACEi (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor), CCBs (calcium channel blockers), and BBs (beta-blockers) were widely used in hypertensive patients. Some researches have shown ARBs, ACEis, and beta-blockers to be effective drugs for blood pressure lowering as well as for reducing the risk of breast cancer in women. However, the research conclusions were inconsistent. To address the conflicting evidence from previous study, the study evaluates the risk of breast cancer in hypertensive women. In conclusion, we report the evidence that beta-blockers can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence, while ACEi and CCBs were not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
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9.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: Incidence, risk factors, diagnosis, and staging.
Que, SKT, Zwald, FO, Schmults, CD
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2018;(2):237-247
Abstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), a malignant proliferation of cutaneous epithelium, represents 20% to 50% of skin cancers. Although the majority of cSCCs are successfully eradicated by surgical excision, a subset of cSCC possesses features associated with a higher likelihood of recurrence, metastasis, and death. The proper identification of these aggressive cSCCs can guide additional work-up and management. In the first article in this continuing medical education series, we discuss the incidence, recurrence rates, mortality rates, and risk factors associated with cSCC and review the staging systems used to stratify patients into high- and low-risk groups. The second article in this series reviews the treatment options for cSCC, with focused attention on the management of high-stage tumors.
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10.
Brachytherapy of Intracranial Gliomas.
Nachbichler, SB, Kreth, FW
Progress in neurological surgery. 2018;:72-86
Abstract
Interstitial implantation of radioactive materials (brachytherapy [BT]) has been designed to protractedly deliver a high radiation dose to a well-defined target volume, while minimizing irradiation of the adjacent normal tissues. Even though promising results have been reported over time, the role of this treatment modality in the management of brain tumors is still poorly defined, and only a few centers worldwide apply it in clinical practice. Nevertheless, temporary or permanent interstitial implantation of low activity (<20 mCi) and low dose rate (≤10 cGy/h) iodine-125 (125I) seeds as possible therapy of intracranial gliomas is currently undergoing a definite revival, and several indications for its use have been identified. Generally, 125I-BT may be considered a reasonable option in cases of unresectable, well-circumscribed, either newly diagnosed or recurrent tumors with a diameter of ≤4 cm, virtually in any location within the brain. Importantly, this treatment does not narrow down the spectrum of the possible subsequent salvage therapeutic options, since neither repeated interstitial nor additional external beam irradiation at the time of tumor progression after BT is associated with a significantly increased risk of radiogenic complications. Using correct patient selection criteria, appropriate surgical technique, and established treatment parameters, would make BT a truly minimally invasive procedure with a low risk of complications and reasonable efficacy.