Birdwaters9904
65). Morbidity was of 4% in Group 1 and 9% in Group 2 (
= 0.23). With an average follow-up of 30.6 months, 5-year overall survival was of 87% in Group 1 and of 63% in Group 2 (
= 0.04).
Advanced age was not associated with differences regarding positivity of SLN and recurrence but difference in overall survival was observed. According to our results and the low morbidity rate, we consider SLNB should not be omitted in such age group, since it improves staging and gives the possibility to evaluate adjuvant treatment.
Advanced age was not associated with differences regarding positivity of SLN and recurrence but difference in overall survival was observed. According to our results and the low morbidity rate, we consider SLNB should not be omitted in such age group, since it improves staging and gives the possibility to evaluate adjuvant treatment.
Multiple low-cost biosimilars of bevacizumab are now available but their clinical efficacy has never been compared against the original (innovator) molecule in glioblastoma. The aim of the current analysis is to compare the overall survival (OS) in recurrent/progressive glioblastoma patients between the biosimilar and innovator molecules.
Adult recurrent/progressive glioblastoma patients treated with bevacizumab from 1 July 2015 to 30 July 2019 were identified. These patients were either offered Bevacizumab innovator (Avastin, Roche) or biosimilar (BevaciRel Reliance Life sciences or Bryxta Zydus Oncosciences) depending upon the financial status and affordability of the patients. The primary endpoint of the study was OS, while progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse events were the secondary endpoints.
There were 82 patients, out of which 57 received innovator and 25 received biosimilar bevacizumab. At median follow-up of 26 months, the median PFS was 3.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.08 to 5.25) and 3.3 months (95% CI 2.38 to 4.21) in innovator and biosimilar group, respectively (Log-rank test
-value = 0.072). The hazard ratio (HR) for progression was 0.61 (95% CI 0.35 to 1.05;
-value = 0.075). At the time of data cut-off, the median OS was 5.53 (95% CI, 5.07 to 5.99) versus 7.33 months (95% CI, 5.63 to 9.03) in innovator and biosimilar group, respectively (Log-rank test
-value = 0.51). The HR for death was 1.21 (95% CI, 0.67 to 2.17;
-value = 0.51). The adverse events and safety profiles were comparable between the two groups.
In the recurrent/progressive glioblastoma patients, both innovator and biosimilar bevacizumab seem to have similar safety and clinical efficacy.
In the recurrent/progressive glioblastoma patients, both innovator and biosimilar bevacizumab seem to have similar safety and clinical efficacy.
COVID-19 has affected the lives of every medical professional including oncologists. The goal of this survey was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the work routine, psychological state and radiotherapy practice of radiation oncologists.
An anonymous survey consisting of 23 questions regarding the lives of radiation oncologists during the COVID-19 pandemic was distributed online via social media from July 14 to July 21, 2020. Statistical analysis was performed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 18.0 software and basic descriptive statistics were applied.
A total of 82 radiation oncologists responded to the survey. The majority were professors (28/82; 34.1%) and residents (28/82; 34.1%) and <50 years old (70/82; 85.4%). Cancer screening programs (57/62; 91.9%) and number of new cases reduced (44/82; 53.7%) in many institutes. Follow-up was still done in-person by 73.2% respondents. 35/82 (42.7%) respondents were satisfied about their safety during COVID-19, at the same time 36/82 (43.9%) were worried about the patient's safety. The fear of contracting COVID-19 (57/82; 69.5%) and infecting their families (64/82; 78%) was high. Physical presence during case implementation (59/82; 72%) and daily setup verification (60/82; 73.2%) remained the same during COVID-19. Half of the respondents adopted new fractionation schedules, commonly in breast and palliative cases. Time spent on research had reduced by 62.2%. Only 41.4% respondents were satisfied with the patient care provided by them during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has significantly altered the work routine, radiotherapy practice and mental state of radiation oncologists.
COVID-19 has significantly altered the work routine, radiotherapy practice and mental state of radiation oncologists.Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is an imaging method without ionising radiation that can provide WB coverage with a core protocol of essential imaging contrasts in less than 40 minutes, and it can be complemented with sequences to evaluate specific body regions as needed. In many cases, WB-MRI surpasses bone scintigraphy and computed tomography in detecting and characterising lesions, evaluating their response to therapy and in screening of high-risk patients. Consequently, international guidelines now recommend the use of WB-MRI in the management of patients with multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, melanoma and individuals with certain cancer predisposition syndromes. The use of WB-MRI is also growing for metastatic breast cancer, ovarian cancer and lymphoma as well as for cancer screening amongst the general population. In light of the increasing interest from clinicians and patients in WB-MRI as a radiation-free technique for guiding the management of cancer and for cancer screening, we review its technical basis, current international guidelines for its use and key applications.
The impact of neobladder and urostomy on bladder cancer patient's health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) is controversial and many issues currently remain under-investigated. Initial studies pointed out that the emotional responses of caregivers might be '
', influencing emotional reactions in bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy.
Three hundred and eighty-two bladder cancer patients (aged
= 67.29 years; SD = 9.23) (16.9% (65) were female and 82.9% (319) were male) and their caregivers were enrolled. Data were collected prospectively at T0 (1 month before the surgery), at T1 (2 weeks after the surgery, at patient discharge from the hospital) and at T2 (6-month follow-up). At each time point (T0, T1 and T2), a set of questionnaires (EORT QLQ-C30 and emotion thermometer) were given to patients and their caregivers.
All patients reported a general improvement in the HR-QoL and global health status/QoL from T0 to T2 (
< 0.001). No significant differences were observed between neobladder and urostomy. At T0, the emotional thermometer total scoring in caregivers was positive in relation to HR-QoL (
< 0.001) and negative in relation to the patient's perception of QoL (
< 0.001) and global health (p < 0.001). Similar trends were observed at T1 and T2.
These results suggest that patients and their caregiver's emotional reactions to cancer are deep-rooted and strongly interconnected, and they provide innovative insights for the clinical management of bladder cancer patients.
These results suggest that patients and their caregiver's emotional reactions to cancer are deep-rooted and strongly interconnected, and they provide innovative insights for the clinical management of bladder cancer patients.
Currently, the indication for neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasing in the treatment of breast cancer. Variability in the expression of biomarkers following neoadjuvant treatment has been observed, which could be accompanied by changes in the adjuvant treatment.
The primary objective was to evaluate the variability of biomarkers prior to and following neoadjuvant therapy. Secondary objectives were to determine which tumour subtype (as determined by immunohistochemical markers) most frequently achieved pathological complete response (pCR); whether the biomarker variation resulted in a change in immunophenotype and subsequently modification to the adjuvant treatment.
A retrospective observational analysis was carried out on patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer who had neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery in the Breast Care Service of the Buenos Aires British Hospital between January 2009 and June 2020.
One hundred and seventy-two patients were included. The pCR rate was 28.5%. The tumour immunophlowing neoadjuvant treatment, which identified modifications in the tumour immunophenotype in 21.1%, and changes to the adjuvant treatment in 7.3% of all tumours with residual disease, justifying the re-assay of biomarkers in the surgical specimen.
The current study was aimed at quantifying the disparity in geographic access to cancer clinical trials in India.
We collated data of cancer clinical trials from the Clinical Trial Registry of India and data on state-wise cancer incidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study. The total sample size for each clinical trial was divided by the trial duration to get the sample size per year. This was then divided by the number of states in which accrual was planned to get the sample size per year per state (SSY).For interventional trials investigating a therapy, the SSY was divided by the number of incident cancers in the state to get the SSY per 1,000 incident cancer cases. The SSY data was then mapped to visualise the geographical disparity.
We identified 181 ongoing studies, of which 132 were interventional studies. There was a substantial inter-state disparity-with a median SSY of 1.55 per 1,000 incident cancer cases (range 0.00-296.81 per 1,000 incident cases) for therapeutic interventional studies. Disparities were starker when cancer site-wise SSY was considered. Even in the state with the highest SSY, only 29.7% of the newly diagnosed cancer cases have an available slot in a therapeutic cancer clinical trial. Disparities in access were also apparent between academic (range 0.21-226.60) and industry-sponsored trials (range 0.17-70.21).
There are significant geographic disparities in access to cancer clinical trials in India. Future investigations should evaluate the reasons and mitigation approaches for such disparities.
There are significant geographic disparities in access to cancer clinical trials in India. Future investigations should evaluate the reasons and mitigation approaches for such disparities.The design of a pneumatic soft-bodied bionic actuator derives from the structural characteristics and motion mechanism of biological muscles, combined with the nonlinear hyperelasticity of silica gel, which can improve the mobility and environmental adaptability of soft-bodied bionic robots. Based on Yeoh's second-order constitutive model of silica gel, the deformation analysis model of the actuator is established, and the rationality of the structure design and motion forms of the actuator and the accuracy of the deformation analysis model are verified by using the numerical simulation algorithm. According to the physical model of the pneumatic soft-bodied bionic actuator, the motion and dynamic characteristics of the actuator are tested and analyzed, the curves of motion and dynamic characteristics of the actuator are obtained, and the empirical formula of the bending angle and driving torque of the actuator is fitted out. read more The results show that the deformation analysis model and numerical simulation method are accurate, and the pneumatic soft-bodied bionic actuator is feasible and effective, which can provide a design method and reference basis for the research and implementation of soft-bodied bionic robot actuator.
