Acta Oncologica最新文献

Background and purpose: Pathologic and impending fractures occur in patients with advanced metastatic disease and necessitate surgical interventions with high risk of complications. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of combined treatment with denosumab and radiotherapy as an alternative to surgery in treating bone metastases of the pelvis and extremities.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 38 patients with impending and pathologic fractures due to carcinoma metastases who received monthly injections of denosumab (120 mg/dose) and radiotherapy. Twenty-three patients received denosumab and single-dose radiotherapy of 8 Gy, and 15 patients received denosumab and fractionated radiotherapy. We assessed pain, radiographic signs of fracture healing, survival and complications.

Results: Of the 38 patients 36 experienced pain reduction. Callus formation was observed in 11/17 patients with pathologic fractures, and increased mineralization was found in 12/21 patients with impending fractures. In 23/38 patients, we found both pain reduction and callus formation or increased mineralization. There were no statistically significant differences in treatment outcomes between the patients who received denosumab and single-dose radiotherapy and those who received denosumab and fractionated radiotherapy. The survival rates at 30 days and 1 year were 95% and 56%, respectively.

Interpretation: Combined treatment with denosumab and radiotherapy may reduce pain and promote bone healing in patients with metastatic impending and pathologic fractures. In this combined treatment, the effect of single-dose radiotherapy appears to be comparable to that of fractionated regimens.

Background and purpose: Adjuvant endocrine treatment (AET) is crucial in early oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer (BC), providing reduced recurrence rate and increased overall survival. The aim of this study was to estimate AET adherence rates by age at diagnosis and region in Sweden.

Patients and methods: In total, 10,422 women diagnosed with ER-positive BC in 2008-2010 were identified in the Swedish National BC Registry. Information on prescriptions and dispensation of AET was gathered through record linkage to the Swedish Prescription Registry. 1, 3- and 5-year medication possession ratios (MPRs) were calculated. Good adherence was set as MPR ≥ 80%.

Results: The 1-, 3- and 5-year AET age-adjusted adherence rates were 94.4, 87.6 and 81.6%, respectively. The 1-, 3- and 5- year adherence rate was significantly highest in the South region (96.2, 90.5 and 86.2%). Regions with an oncologic clinic had higher adherence rate than regions without, 82.8% versus 75.5% at 5-year FU. Women at age 40-64 years (95.6, 89.9 and 84.1%) and 65-74 years at diagnosis (95.7, 89.5 and 84.6%) had significantly higher adherence rate than women ≥ 75 years at diagnosis (89.1, 79.2 and 68.3%).

Interpretations: Despite guidelines being national, there were significant differences in adherence between regions in Sweden. As the largest differences were between age groups invited and not invited to mammography screening intervention should focus on women < 40 and ≥ 75 years at diagnosis. Further studies are needed to find strategies to increase overall adherence to AET in early BC.

Background and purpose: We developed the Melacare nurse-led intervention, which combines education in skin self-examination as a resource-conscious approach to detecting recurrence and management of fear of cancer recurrence in patients treated for melanoma. This publication presents the Melacare study protocol and evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of Melacare prior to a larger randomised controlled trial.

Material and methods: Feasibility and acceptability of Melacare were evaluated in an intervention-only feasibility study, in which patients attended two nurse-led intervention sessions coupled with an educational booklet. Participants completed patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires at baseline and before each session. After the intervention, participants completed a study-specific feedback questionnaire. Feasibility was evaluated in terms of recruitment, adherence, and attendance. Self-reported outcomes from the study-specific questionnaire on intervention effects were also collected. Results of the feasibility study: Fourteen patients (nine stage IA, five stage IB melanoma) participated. Attendance and recruitment rates were 100%, all participants completed the baseline and PRO questionnaires, and 100% read at least half of the educational booklet. In terms of intervention effects, all patients reported improved knowledge of performing skin self-examination and coping with the fear of cancer recurrence.

Interpretation: Results indicate that the Melacare nurse-led intervention is highly feasible and acceptable for use with patients treated for early-stage melanoma. Prior to clinical trial commencement, minor refinements include changing the method of recruiting by telephone and offering.

Background: Knowledge of determinants of aggressive end-of-life care is crucial to organizing effective palliative care for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the determinants of aggressive end-of-life care in patients with GI cancer.

Methods: A national register-based cohort study using data from the Danish Register on Causes of Death, the Danish National Patient Register, and the Danish Palliative Database was the method of study employed.

Participants/setting: All Danish patients who died from GI cancers from 2010 to 2020 comprised the study setting.

Results: There were 43,969 patients with GI cancers in the cohort, of whom 62% were hospitalized in the last 30 days of life, 41% of patients died in the hospital, 10% had surgery, 39% were subjected to a radiological examination during the last 30 days of life and 3% had antineoplastic treatment during the last 14 days of life. Among all types of GI cancers, pancreatic cancer was significantly associated with all outcomes of aggressive end-of-life care except surgery. Patients in specialized palliative care (SPC) had lower odds of receiving aggressive end-of-life care and dying in the hospital. We found that patients with comorbidity and those who were divorced had higher odds of being hospitalized at the end of life and dying in the hospital.

Interpretation: Aggressive end-of-life care is associated with disease factors and socio-demographics. The potential to reduce aggressive end-of-life care is considerable in patients with GI cancer, as demonstrated by the impact of SPC. However, we need to address the needs of patients with GI cancer who do not receive SPC.

Background: Germany has a long-standing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening offer. We aimed to quantify and characterize screen-detected colorectal cancers (sdCRCs) in Germany.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study based on a healthcare database covering ~20% of the German population; we included CRC patients aged ≥ 55 years diagnosed in 2010-2018. Patients with a screening colonoscopy or a fecal occult blood test followed by colonoscopy within 180 days before diagnosis were classified as sdCRCs and compared to non-sdCRCs regarding age, stage and comorbidities.

Results: In 2018, 25% of male and 22% of female CRC patients were screen-detected. Regarding characteristics of all included CRC cases (N = 82,538), sdCRC patients were younger than non-sdCRCs (average difference men / women: 2.6 / 4.4 years). The proportion of advanced CRC among sdCRCs and non-sdCRCs, respectively, was 33 and 42% in women (men: 36 and 45%). Severe comorbidities were more prevalent in non-sdCRCs compared to sdCRCs (e.g. in male / female patients aged 65-74: 35% vs. 27% / 26% vs. 19%). Prevalences of hypertension and obesity were similar in both groups.

Interpretation: Our study suggests that about one fourth of CRCs in Germany are screen-detected. Among patients with non-sdCRC, not only advanced stage but also severe comorbidity was more common than in sdCRCs.

Background and purpose: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a cause of increased morbidity and risk of death. Studies report VTE in up to 30% of glioma patients but the results vary. The VTE risk is relevant when evaluating prophylaxis to avoid unnecessary bleeding or overdiagnosis. This study examines the VTE incidence in patients with glioma WHO grade 2-4, and when VTE occurred, risk factors, and overall survival (OS) for patients with WHO grade 4.

Materials and methods: In total 3,630 patients with WHO grade 2 (n = 230), grade 3 (n = 317), and grade 4 (n = 3,083) gliomas from 2010 to 2018 were identified using the Danish Neuro-Oncology Registry. VTE diagnoses and time of death were obtained from Statistics Denmark.

Results and interpretation: The VTE incidence was 5.2, 6.3, and 6.8% in patients with WHO grade 2, 3, and 4 gliomas, respectively. The VTE incidence rate was highest during the first 3 months after the diagnosis with 53 events. Increasing age (HR 1.03, 95%CI 1.01-1.04), male sex (HR 1.47, 95%CI 1.09-1.99), poor performance status (HR 1.57, 95%CI 1.10-2.25), and post-operative long-course radiochemotherapy (HR 2.10, 95%CI 1.19-3.72) were predictors of VTE in patients with glioma WHO grade 4. There was no difference in OS comparing patients having VTE to those without (p = 0.068). In conclusion, patients with glioma WHO grade 2-4 were at high risk of VTE, especially the first 3 months after diagnosis. Increasing age, male sex, poor performance status, and long-course radiochemotherapy were associated with increased risk of VTE in patients with glioma WHO grade 4.

Background and purpose: Cancer may create problems and needs associated with impaired quality of life (QoL). The first health care encounter is important to enable patients to cope and may ultimately impact QoL. The aim of this study was to describe the patients' experiences of encounters with health care professionals. Another aim was to explore the possible impact that the encounters may have on QoL 1 year after a colon cancer diagnosis. We also wanted to investigate whether patients had received information about treatment related side-effects.

Patients and methods: This substudy within the QoLiCOL (Quality of Life in COLon cancer) study included 1687 patients (male n = 876, female n = 811, mean age 71) between 2015 and 2019. Questionnaires were answered at diagnosis and after 1 year. QoL was self-assessed with a seven-point Likert scale. Analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression.

Results: A total of 1,550 patients (91.9%) reported feeling well received by health care professionals. We found no statistically significant association with QoL. Patients (87%) reported feeling well informed about their treatment, but few patients recalled having received information regarding potential side effects on bowel or sexual function.

Interpretation: Patients with colon cancer generally had a positive experience of the encounter with health care where they felt both well received and well informed. However, the amount of relevant information received was scarce. This indicates that it may be difficult to identify whether patients are properly informed prior to treatment for colon cancer only by asking if they feel well informed.

Background and purpose: We investigated the prognosis of breast cancer (BC) with low expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), as previous studies have found varying impacts on survival of HER2-low BC compared with HER2 0 BC (HER2 IHC score of 0). HER2-low is defined as a score of 1+ or 2+ in an immunohistochemical (IHC) assay without HER2 gene amplification.

Materials and methods: Patients with HER2 0 or HER2-low BC from the national Danish Breast Cancer Group database were examined by multivariable survival analysis in a retrospective noninterventional investigation. Patients were grouped as either HER2 0 or HER2-low. The primary endpoint was time to recurrence (TR), and the secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI).

Results: 41,610 patients were included (12,981 with HER2 0 BC and 28,629 with HER2-low BC). HER2-low BC was associated with a lower risk of recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.92, p = 0.03). Regarding secondary endpoints, HER2-low disease was linked to improved overall OS (HR: 0.94, p = 0.02). No statistically significant effect of HER2-low was found for DRFI, along with no differential effect of HER2-low according to estrogen receptor (ER) status.

Interpretation: HER2-low BC was found to show an improved HR for OS and DRFI compared with HER2 0 BC; however, further studies are need to establish whether it represents a separate biological entity.

Background and purpose: In patients with metastatic melanoma who respond to anti-PD-1 therapy, the proliferation of intra-tumour CD8+ T cells is directly correlated with the clinical response, making tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) a treatment of interest in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor, which is the undisputed gold standard in the management of metastatic melanoma. The aim of this trial was, therefore, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sequential combination therapy consisting of nivolumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) and TILs adoptive T cells in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Materials and methods: We performed an exploratory, prospective, single-centre, open-label, non-randomised, uncontrolled phase I/II study. We enrolled 10 previously untreated patients with advanced melanoma. The treatment regimen was neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy followed by 2 injections of TILs and a second sequence of anti-PD-1 therapy.

Results and interpretation: Among the four patients who received the autologous TILs + nivolumab combination, three (75%) achieved an objective response (two achieved a partial response [PR] at the end of the study, two achieved a complete response [CR]), and one achieved a CR at the end of the study. Among these three patients, one had a PR, and two had stable disease (SD) after the nivolumab course and before any TILs administration, reinforcing the importance of the tumour response after TILs injection. These responses were persistent, ranging from 9 months to 3.4 years.