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This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the 2017 8The cohort involved 300 patients affected by OTSCC treated with surgery. All cases were classified according to the 7According to the 7This study confirmed that the recent update of the 8th edition of the TNM (2020) improves stratification and identification of advanced tumours, reducing the number of T3 compared to the 2017 edition and increasing the number of patients with pT4. This improvement made by the updated edition may reduce the risk of skipping adjuvant therapy.Il carcinoma della lingua mobile: i cambiamenti della prognosi in base alla versione 2020 del sistema di classificazione AJCC/UICC TNM.Questo studio mira alla valutazione dell’efficacia predittiva dell’8ª edizione del TNM (2017) e dell’ultima versione aggiornata nel 2020 rispetto alla 7Il gruppo di studio consta di 300 pazienti affetti da carcinoma spinocellulare della lingua mobile trattati chirurgicamente. Tutti i casi sono stati classificati in base alla 7Secondo la 7Questo studio ha confermato che il recente aggiornamento dell’8

Objectives The COVID‐19 pandemic bears the risk of delayed cancer diagnoses. Methods Study on the diagnostic pathway of sinonasal malignancies during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results Median time from first symptom to treatment initiation was not increased during the pandemic: 137 days (interquartile range [IQR] 104‐193) vs 139 days (IQR 103‐219) (P = .60). Median time from first appointment at our institution to treatment initiation was even reduced in 2020: 18 days (IQR 11‐25) vs 11 days (IQR 7‐17) (P = .02). A trend toward advanced tumor stages during the pandemic was seen: 11/30 patients (36.7%) ≥ stage 4 in 2018 to 2019 vs 12/19 patients (63.2%) ≥ stage 4 in 2020 (P = .064). Conclusion Both, time to diagnosis and time to treatment initiation were similar during the pandemic. However, a higher proportion of advanced tumors stages was observed. Despite the pandemic, we provided a swift diagnostic workflow, including a virtual tumor board decision and a prompt treatment initiation. Level of Evidence: 4., The COVID‐19 pandemic bears the risk of delayed cancer diagnoses. This is a retrospective study on the diagnostic pathway of sinunasal malignancies during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Both, time to diagnosis and time to treatment initiation were similar during the pandemic. However, a higher proportion of advanced tumors stages was observed. Despite the pandemic, we provided a swift diagnostic workflow, including a virtual tumor board decision and a prompt treatment initiation.

Background With increasing availability of data on outcomes of surgery for prostate cancer, the profile of patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has changed over the past decade. This impacts the decision-making process for surgeons and patients, particularly in low-incidence regions of Asia. Our institution was among the first in Asia to acquire a da Vinci surgical robot in 2005. We evaluated the changes in the clinical and pathology profile of patients undergoing RARP at our institution over the past 15 years (2005-2019). Methods A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing RARP between April 2005 and December 2019 was conducted from the hospital database. The patients were divided into two groups; patients undergoing RARP from April 2005 to December 2012 (Group I, first 8 years) and January 2013 to December 2019 (Group II, next 7 years). The perioperative characteristics were compared between these two groups to assess changes in their profile and outcome. Results Four hundred forty-seven patients were included in this study; 244 (54.6%) in Group I and 203 (45.4%) in Group II. The median prostate specific antigen in Group II was significantly higher than that in Group I (14.5 vs. 11.7 ng/ml, P = 0.016). Unfavorable pathological characteristics, i.e., Gleason Grade ≥3, perineural invasion, and the margin positivity rate increased substantially from 18.5% to 37.5%, 20.5% to 36.9%, and 15.2% to 26.6%, respectively, in Group II compared with Group I. More patients in Group II received adjuvant therapy than in Group I (P Conclusion There has been a change in profile of patients undergoing RARP and patients with more unfavorable disease characteristics such as higher prostate specific antigen and tumor grade are undergoing surgery. In line with international trends, the number of patients with low-grade disease undergoing surgery has substantially decreased. Multimodal treatment with adjuvant therapy is increasingly used, particularly in high-risk disease.

Introduction The COVID-19 outbreak has become the dominant issue throughout the world whilst the governments, nations and health services are trying to deal with its impact. The aim of our study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 on patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa) at European referral centers in terms of surgical volume (SV), waiting list meant as time from biopsy to surgery (WL) and risk of adverse pathologic findings at RP due to the selection of men with more adverse disease characteristics at final pathology. Material and methods Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of histologically proven PCa treated with RP between March 2020 (WHO declaration of pandemic) and December 2020 were identified. Patients with metastatic disease not eligible to local treatment and recurrent prostate cancer after RP or RT were excluded. Patients treated at the same institutions between March 2019 and December 2019 were considered as the control group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis tested the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the risk of adverse pathologic findings at RP after adjusting for confounders. The percentage change of SV and WL was assessed comparing the months of pandemic with the equivalent timespan of the previous year. Results A total of 2,574 patients treated with RP (927 cases and 1647 controls) were identified in 8 European tertiary referral centers. At multivariable analysis patients who were treated during the pandemic had higher risk of extra prostatic disease (OR:1.35, p = 0.038) and lymph node invasion (LNI) (OR:1.72, p = 0.048). An average 23% reduction of the SV with the equivalent timespan of the previous year allowed an illusory reduction of the WL after the peak gained during the first wave of COVID-19. Conclusions Our results showed that the COVID-19 outbreak resulted in a delay in the administration of curative-intent therapies in patients with localized PCa. This, in turn, resulted in a stage migration phenomenon with a potential impact on oncologic control. Weitere Verfasser:innen aus Einrichtungen außerhalb der Universität Duisburg-Essen sind nicht aufgeführt.

The argument concerning the exact minimum number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) has continued for a long time among various regions, and no consensus has been reached for stratified pathological T stages for data to date. Data from 4607 pN0 patients with gastric cancer were analyzed. Kaplan‐Meier analysis showed the similar overall survival (OS) outcomes among the 3 groups (ELNs ≤ 15, 16 ≤ ELNs ≤ 29 and ELNs ≥ 30, P = .171). However, the ELNs ≥ 30 group had a better disease‐free survival (DFS) outcome compared with the others (all P, The OS and DFS of the total pN0 patients in different ELNs group. (A) OS, P = .171, (B) DFS, P = .029.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was postulated that there might be a delay in cancer patients` presentation, stage migration, changes in management leading to excess cancer mortality [1]. However, there is a paucity of real-time objective data to support this, particularly in HNC. In our HNC multidisciplinary team (MDT), approximately 300 new patients present annually. The purpose of this observational study was to assess the impact of Covid-19 on the presentation, stage and management pattern on newly presented HNC patients during the pandemic era.

Purpose This retrospective analysis focuses on treatment stage migration in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to identify successful treatment sequences in a large cohort of real-world patients. Methods 1369 HCC patients referred from January 1993 to January 2020 to the tertiary center of the Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany were analyzed for initial and subsequent treatment patterns, and overall survival. Results The most common initial treatment was transarterial chemoembolization (TACE, n = 455, 39.3%) followed by hepatic resection (n = 303, 26.1%) and systemic therapy (n = 200, 17.3%), whereas the most common 2nd treatment modality was liver transplantation (n = 215, 33.2%) followed by systemic therapy (n = 177, 27.3%) and TACE (n = 85, 13.1%). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed by far the best prognosis for liver transplantation recipients (median overall survival not reached), followed by patients with hepatic resection (11.1 years). Patients receiving systemic therapy as their first treatment had the shortest median overall survival (1.7 years; P P = 0.01). Conclusion TACE was the most common initial intervention, whereas liver transplantation was the most frequent 2nd treatment. While liver transplantation and hepatic resection were associated with the best median overall survival, the timing of liver transplantation within the treatment sequence strongly affected median survival.

PURPOSE: To analyse the prognostic factors for eye salvage for eyes with intra-ocular retinoblastoma (RB) that is resistant to systemic chemotherapy and focal therapy by external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 28 eyes with intra-ocular RB that was resistant for systemic chemotherapy and focal consolidation therapy and received EBRT. Outcome measures included tumor stage at diagnosis, stage migration, type of tumor seeds, treatment modalities, eye globe salvage, metastasis, and survival. RESULTS: Most of the patients (83%) had bilateral RB, and 42% were females. All eyes were treated initially by combination of systemic chemotherapy and focal consolidation therapy. The dose of EBRT was 45 Gy. The mean follow-up was 6.5 years, and the overall eye globe salvage rate post EBRT was 46%: 67% (2/3) for group B, 71% (5/7) for group C, and 33% (6/18) for group D. Patient's gender, tumor site, laterality, and tumor stage at diagnosis were not significant prognostic factors (p> 0.05) for final outcome. The significant poor prognostic factors were tumor stage migration during systemic chemotherapy (p= 0.03) and presence of vitreous seeds at time of EBRT (p=0.001). Post EBRT complication rate was 68% (19/28) including; retinal detachment (3), vitreous hemorrhage (4), neovascular glaucoma (1), cataract (16), radiation retinopathy (2), and second malignancy (2). CONCLUSION: EBRT is an alternative for enucleation when RB is resistant to combined chemoreduction/focal consolidation therapy in absence in vitreous seeds. The known risks for EBRT are not justified for patients with unilateral RB and for those who have functional vision in the other eye.

Treatment allocation is extremely complex in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) because this neoplasm arises, in most cases, in patients with cirrhosis and additional comorbidities. The “stage hierarchy” approach, which involves linking each stage (or substage) of the disease to a specific treatment, has become the main proposed treatment strategy for the clinical management of HCC, particularly in the West. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) scheme serves as the main example of the application of this strategy. In an attempt to increase the plasticity of the “stage hierarchy” approach as well as its adaptability to the requirements of real-world clinical practice, the latest versions of European and American guidelines have introduced certain relevant elements of flexibility, which were not intrinsic to the original BCLC scheme. These elements are as follows: the “treatment stage migration” strategy, which allows moving to another treatment (generally the one that is associated with the subsequent stage) if the approach linked with the current stage proves to be unfeasible, and the “treatment stage alternative” approach, which proposes further therapeutic options for each BCLC-defined stage. In regard to most of the solid cancers, another potential strategy is to consider the treatment decision to be hierarchically dictated by the efficacy of each therapy with complete or partial independence from the tumor stage. This concept of “therapeutic hierarchy” has been historically endorsed by the Asia-Pacific treatment algorithm as well as by the recent Italian multisociety guidelines. The present review provides a critical analysis of the different conceptual approaches to HCC management, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages and focusing on the remarkable differences between the stage-guided and the hierarchical strategies.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) has been utilized for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Initially, FUS was performed as a whole-gland treatment comparable to radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. However, after overall downward stage migration due to health screening programs involving prostate-specific antigen testing, as well as advances in conservative or observative strategies such as active surveillance, FUS has evolved from a whole-gland treatment to a focal treatment. This new treatment technique aims to ablate tumors while preserving the normal prostate tissue, thereby ensuring better preservation of urinary and erectile function. In this article, we review the mechanism and clinical outcomes of the FUS procedure.

Objectives: To test the effect of stage and grade migration on cancer specific mortality (CSM) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients, according to clear cell (ccRCC) vs. non-ccRCC histology. Methods and Materials: Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (2004–2015), we identified patients with ccRCC and non-ccRCC (papillary [papRCC], chromophobe [chRCC], sarcomatoid [sarcRCC], and collecting duct [cdRCC]). Two consecutive time groups were considered – historical (2004–2009) and contemporary era (2010–2015). Temporal trends of tumor characteristics were evaluated. Cumulative incidence plots and multivariable competing risks regression models tested the effect of year groups on CSM. Results: Overall, 24,746 and 73,228 patients with non-ccRCC and ccRCC were evaluated. Of those, 42% and 58% were recorded in historical and contemporary era. Time trend analyses showed (1) tumor size decreased for non-ccRCC (estimated annual percent changes [EAPC]: −1.1%; P

Purpose: This study aimed to validate the newly proposed American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) pathological prognostic staging system for young breast cancer patients (aged ≤40 years). Results: We included 12811 women in this study. Overall, 52.8% of patients in the 7th AJCC stages were restaged to the 8th AJCC pathological staging system, including 10.7% upstaged and 42.1% downstaged. The receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that the new staging system had a better role in predicting breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) compared with 7th edition staging (P

Purpose Several scoring systems have been proposed to predict the outcome of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the application of these scores to a bridging to transplant setting is poorly validated. Evaluation of the applicability of prognostic scores for patients undergoing TACE in palliative intention vs. bridging therapy to liver transplantation (LT) is necessary. Methods Between 2008 and 2017, 148 patients with HCC received 492 completed TACE procedures (158 for bridging to transplant; 334 TACE procedures in palliative treatment intention at our center and were analyzed retrospectively. Scores (ART, CLIP, ALBI, APRI, SNACOR, HAP, STATE score, Child–Pugh, MELD, Okuda and BCLC) were calculated and evaluated for prediction of overall survival. ROC analysis was performed to assess prediction of 3-year survival and treatment discontinuation. Results In patients receiving TACE in palliative intention most scores predicted OS in univariate analysis but only mSNACOR score (p = 0.006), State score (p p p = 0.002). Conclusions Clinical usability of suggested scoring systems for TACE might be limited depending on the individual patient cohorts and the indication. Especially in patients receiving TACE as bridging to LT none of the scores showed sufficiently applicability. In our study Child–Pugh score, STATE score and mSNACOR score showed the best performance assessing OS in patients with TACE as palliative therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of the eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging classification for gastric cancer. Methods: Prospective databases were reviewed to identify patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at two specialized eastern centers. The prognostic value of the eighth edition TNM classification was estimated and compared with that of the seventh edition. Additional external validation was performed using a dataset from a Western population. Results: Significant differences in 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were observed for each TNM stage when using the eighth edition system, and smaller Akaike information criteria (AIC) values and a higher c-statistic were observed relative to those of the seventh edition. However, the OS rates in each subgroup of stage III patients based on the eighth edition were significantly different. Patients with the same pN stage, namely, the pT4a and pT4b groups, showed similar 5-year OS (P>0.05). Based on the survival data, we propose a simplified staging system. In the improved TNM (iTNM) staging system, the subgroups of a given TNM stage do not show statistically significant differences in OS. The iTNM staging exhibits superior prognostic stratification, with lower AIC values and a higher c-statistic than the eighth edition TNM classification. Similar results were obtained with the external validation dataset from the IMIGASTRIC database. Conclusion: The prognostic prediction of the eighth edition of the AJCC TNM classification is superior to that of the seventh edition. However, it remains associated with some stage migration. The iTNM staging system permits simplification and slightly better prognostic prediction.

Background The positive correlation between the incidence of colorectal cancer and age is well known. However, current data demonstrates that there is noticeable age migration in the incidence of colorectal cancer towards young adults highlighting that this disease should no longer be considered to solely affect the elderly. The aim of the study is to analyse the changes in the trend for the age at which colorectal cancer presents, to identify if there is an appreciable age migration towards a younger population. Methods This is a retrospective observational cohort study on a single-centred population. Data was obtained from The Luton and Dunstable University Hospital Colorectal Cancer Database. It was analysed from three separate decades from the years 1999, 2009, 2019 and 2020. All patients newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer in these time periods were included in this study. Gender, anatomical site, and the stage migration was also analysed. Results A total of 598 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the specified time periods. The overall age-specific incidence rates had risen throughout the three decades. Notably the incidence rate had doubled between 1999 and 2009. In the younger adult population of, Highlights • CRC is increasing in younger age population and is no longer an old age disease. • There is an age migration in the incidence of CRC in the three decades studied. • A change in the trend of initial stage presentation is noted in younger population. • The incidence of rectal cancer is increased in patients younger than 60. • Young patients with bleeding per rectum should be investigated for CRC.

OBJECTIVE To reappraise the optimal number of examined lymph nodes (ELN) in pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA The well-established threshold of 15 ELN in PD for PDAC is optimized for detecting one positive node (PLN) per the previous 7 edition of the AJCC staging manual. In the framework of the 8 edition, where at least four PLN are needed for an N2 diagnosis, this threshold may be inadequate for accurate staging. METHODS Patients who underwent upfront PD at two academic institutions between 2000 and 2016 were analyzed. The optimal ELN threshold was defined as the cut-point associated with a 95% probability of identifying at least 4 PLN in N2 patients. The results were validated addressing the N-status distribution and stage migration. RESULTS Overall, 1218 patients were included. The median number of ELN was 26 (IQR 17-37). ELN was independently associated with N2-status (OR 1.27, p < 0.001). The estimated optimal threshold of ELN was 28. This cut-point enabled improved detection of N2 patients and stage III disease (58% versus 37%, p = 0.001). The median survival was 28.6 months. There was an improved survival in N0/N1 patients when ELN exceeded 28, suggesting a stage migration effect (47 versus 29 months, adjusted HR 0.649, p < 0.001). In N2 patients, this threshold was not associated with survival on multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION Examining at least 28 LN in PD for PDAC ensures optimal staging through improved detection of N2/stage III disease. This may have relevant implications for benchmarking processes and quality implementation.

Background There are many reports on the choice of treatment for and prognosis of left-sided obstructive colorectal cancer; however, few studies have focused on the prognostic factors of left-sided obstructive colorectal cancer. Therefore, we analyzed the prognostic factors using a post hoc analysis of a retrospective multicenter study in Japan. Methods A total of 301 patients were enrolled in this study to investigate the prognostic factors for relapse-free survival. The relationships between sex, age, decompression for bridge to surgery, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, postoperative complications, adjuvant chemotherapy, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and relapse-free survival were examined. Results No change in the decompression method, T3 cancer, negative postoperative complications (grades 0–1 of Clavien-Dindo classification), and adjuvant chemotherapy during Stage III indicated a significantly better prognosis in a Cox univariate analysis. Lymph node metastasis was not selected as a prognostic factor. Excluding patients with

Introduction The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) changed the staging system for cervical cancer in 2018 and formally allowed cross-sectional imaging for staging purposes. Stage IB is now divided into three substages based on tumor size (IB1 < 2 cm, IB2 2-4 cm and IB3 > 4 cm). The presence of lymph nodes in the pelvis or para-aortic region will upstage the patient to stage IIIC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent of stage migration using the FIGO 2018 staging system for cervical cancer and validate the new staging system by assessing the survival outcomes. Methods An Institutional Review Board-approved and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant retrospective analysis was performed on 158 patients from the cervical cancer database at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, USA. Patients had been treated between January 2010 and December 2018, and they were all staged according to the FIGO 2009 staging system previously. We collected data regarding tumor size, lymph node presence, and extent of metastatic disease in the pretreatment CT, positron emission tomography (PET), or MRI scans and restaged the patients using the FIGO 2018 system. The extent of stage migration was evaluated using the new staging system. We analyzed the three-year overall survival (OS) using both FIGO 2009 and 2018 staging systems for validation purposes. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed using SPSS version 24. Results Fifty-nine percent of the patients were upstaged when they were restaged using the FIGO 2018 staging system. In the current 2018 staging system, Stage IB3 accounted for 4%, and Stage IIIC accounted for 48% of the patient cohort, while other stages accounted for the rest. The median overall survival of the entire cohort was 20.5 months. There was a change in the survival curves using FIGO 2018 stages compared to those of FIGO 2009. There was a numerical improvement in three-year OS in stages IB and III among the two staging systems; however, it was not statistically significant. Interestingly, the three-year overall survival of Stage IIIC patients was better when compared to Stages III A& B combined (61% vs. 25%, p=0.017). Conclusion The increased availability of cross-sectional imaging across the world has led to recent changes in the FIGO staging system for cervical cancer, which allowed imaging in staging. We identified a significant stage migration in our patient cohort with the FIGO 2018 staging system, but no difference in the three-year overall survival was observed. Local tumor extent may be a worse prognostic indicator than nodal metastasis among stage III patients.

Background. Reports are scanty on the impact of long primary care interval in breast cancer. Exploratory reports in Nigeria and other low-middle-income countries suggest detrimental impact. The primary aim was to describe the impact of long primary care interval on breast cancer progression, and the secondary aim was to describe the factors perceived by patients as the reason(s) for long intervals. Method. Questionnaire-based survey was used in 9 Nigerian tertiary institutions between May 2017 and July 2018. The study hypothesis was that the majority of patients stayed >30 days, and the majority experienced stage migration in primary care interval. Assessment of the impact of the length of interval on tumor stage was done by survival analysis technique, and clustering analysis was used to find subgroups of the patient journey. Results. A total of 237 patients presented to primary care personnel with tumor ≤5cm (mean 3.4±1.2cm). A total of 151 (69.3%, 95% CI 62.0-75.0) stayed >30 days in primary care interval. Risk of stage migration in primary care interval was 49.3% (95% CI 42.5%-56.3%). The most common reasons for long intervals were symptom misinformation and misdiagnosis. Clustering analysis showed 4 clusters of patients’ experience and journey: long interval due to distance, long interval due to misinformation, long interval due to deliberate delaying, and not short interval—prepared for treatment. Conclusion. The majority of patients stayed longer than 30 days in primary care interval. Long primary care interval was associated with a higher risk of stage migration, and more patients reported misinformation and misdiagnosis as reasons for a long interval.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the first three causes of cancer mortality in Europe. Screening in asymptomatic men (aged 55–69 yr) using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is associated with a migration toward lower staged disease and a reduction in cancer-specific mortality. By 20 yr after testing, around 100 men need to be screened to prevent one PCa death. While this ratio is smaller than for breast and colon cancer, the long natural history of PCa means many men die from other causes. As such, the nonselective use of PSA testing and radical treatments can lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The European Association of Urology (EAU) supports measures to encourage appropriate PCa detection through PSA testing, while reducing overdiagnosis and overtreatment. These goals may be achieved using personalized risk-stratified approaches. For diagnosis, the greatest benefit from early detection is likely to come in men assessed using baseline PSA levels at the age of 45 yr to individualize screening intervals. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging as well as risk calculators based on family history, ethnicity, digital rectal examination, and prostate volume should be considered to triage the need for biopsy, thus reducing the risk of overdiagnosis. For treatment, the EAU advocates balancing patient's life expectancy and cancer's mortality risk when deciding an approach. Active surveillance is encouraged in well-informed patients with low-risk and some intermediate-risk cancers, as it decreases the risks of overtreatment without compromising oncological outcomes. Conversely, the EAU advocates radical treatment in suitable men with more aggressive PCa. Multimodal treatment should be considered in locally advanced or high-grade cancers. Patient summary: Implementation of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening should be considered at a population level. Men at risk of prostate cancer should have a baseline PSA blood test (eg, at 45 yr). The level of this test, combined with family history, ethnicity, and other factors, can be used to determine subsequent follow-up. Magnetic resonance imaging scans and novel biomarkers should be used to determine which men need biopsy and how any cancers should be treated. The European Association of Urology supports the implementation of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening at a population level in Europe. Men at risk of prostate cancer should have a baseline PSA blood test (eg, at 45 yr). This, together with family history, ethnicity, and other factors, should be used to determine subsequent follow-up. Magnetic resonance imaging scans and novel biomarkers should be used to determine which men need biopsy and how any cancers should be treated.

Background & Aims:The rate of contraindications to percutaneous ablation (PA) for inoperable early HCC, and subsequent outcomes is not well described. We investigated the prevalence and outcomes of inoperable early HCC patients with contraindications to PA, resulting in treatment stage migration (TSM). Methods:BCLC 0/A patients diagnosed between September 2013 and September 2019 across five hospitals were identified. Primary endpoint was proportion of BCLC 0/A HCCs with contraindications to PA. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), local tumour control (LTC) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). The causal effects of PA versus TSM were assessed using a potential outcome means (POM) framework in which the average treatment effects (ATE) of PA were estimated after accounting for potential selection bias and confounding.Results:245 patients with inoperable BCLC 0/A HCC were identified. 140 (57%) had contraindications to PA and received TSM therapy, 105 (43%) received PA. The main contraindication to PA was difficult tumour location (47%). Patients who received TSM therapy had lower median OS (2.1 versus 5.3years), LTC (1.0 versus 4.8years), and RFS (0.8 versus 2.7years); pConclusions:Our study highlights high rates of contraindication to PA in early HCCs, resulting in TSM and poorer outcomes. The local recurrence rate after PA was also high. Both findings support exploration of alternative ablative options for early HCCs.

BACKGROUND: Accurate staging plays a pivotal role in cancer care. The lymph node (LN) ratio (LNR) and the log odds of positive LNs (LODDS) have been suggested as alternatives to the N staging since the TNM system has the risk of stage migration. The prognostic significance of LNR and LODDS in young patients with gastric cancer (GC) has not been reported. This study aims to investigate the correlations between LNR and LODDS and survival of young patients with GC, and compare the predictive performance of these LN staging methods. METHODS: GC patients before the age of 40 from 2004 to 2016 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database were enrolled. The prognostic evaluation of the N factor, LNR and LODDS was compared using the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, area under the curve (AUC), C-index and Akaike information criterion (AIC). RESULTS: Multivariate survival analysis identified that the LNR and LODDS were significantly independent prognostic indicators for overall survival (OS) in young patients with GC and in the subgroups comprised of patients with ≤15 LNs examined. The time-dependent ROC curves of the LNR and LODDS were continuously superior to that of the N factor in predicting OS during the observation period. And the AUCs revealed that the predictive accuracy of the LNR and LODDS was remarkably superior to the N factor at 1 and 3 years (P

ObjectiveService evaluation of GP access to Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) detection in Nottinghamshire and use of FIT for “rule out”, “rule in” and “first test selection”.DesignRetrospective audit of FIT results, CRC outcomes and resource utilisation before and after introduction of FIT in Primary Care in November 2017. Data from the new pathway up to December 2018 was compared with previous experience.ResultsBetween November 2017 and December 2018, 6747 GP FIT test requests yielded 5733 FIT results, of which 4082 (71.2%) were [less than]4.0 μg Hb/g faeces, 579 (10.1%) were 4.0–9.9 μg Hb/g faeces, 836 (14.6%) were 10.0–149.9 μg Hb/g faeces, and 236 (4.1%) were ≥150.0 μg Hb/g faeces. The proportion of “rule out” results [less than]4.0 μg Hb/g faeces was significantly higher than in the Getting FIT cohort (71.2% vs 60.4%, Chi squared 42.8, p [less than] 0.0001) and the proportion of “rule in” results ≥150.0 μg Hb/g faeces was significantly lower (4.1% vs 8.1%, Chi squared 27.3,P [less than] 0.0001).There was a 33% rise in urgent referrals across Nottingham overall during the evaluation period. 2 CRC diagnoses were made in 4082 patients who had FIT[less than]4.0 μg Hb/g faeces. 58.4% of new CRC diagnoses associated with a positive FIT were early stage cancers (Stage I and II). The proportion of all CRC diagnoses that follow an urgent referral s rose after introduction of FIT.ConclusionsFIT allows GP's to select a more appropriate cohort for urgent investigation without a large number of missed diagnoses. FIT appears to promise a “stage migration” effect which may ultimately improve CRC outcomes.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe disruptions in health care delivery for cancer patients. These interruptions in cancer care delivery may have an unknown effect on cancer outcomes at the individual and population level. These yet to be known variations in individual and population-level cancer outcomes resulting from COVID-19 related interruptions in care can be labeled as COVID-19 Stage Migration (CSM).

BackgroundThe impact of lymph nodes (LNs) removed on the survivals of patients with stage III gastric cancer, especially on that of those who undergo the adjuvant chemotherapy as a compensation for a possibly insufficient lymphadenectomy, is still unclear.MethodsConsecutive patients (n = 488) with stage III gastric cancer under R0 curative resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed. The overall survival (OS) was compared between patients with insufficient LNs removed (ILNr, 2 test, Akaike information criterion (AIC), Harrell’s concordance index (C-index), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC).ResultsThe OS of patients were significantly longer in those with SLNr relative to those with ILNr (for stage IIIA, 68.2 vs. 43.2 months, P = 0.042; for stage IIIB, 43.7 vs. 24.9 months, P < 0.001; for stage IIIC, 23.9 vs. 8.3 months, P < 0.001; and for total stage III, 37.7 vs. 21.7 months, P < 0.001). However, the OS were similar between stage IIIA patients with ILNr and stage IIIB patients with SLNr (P = 0.928), between IIIB patients with ILNr and IIIC patients with SLNr (P = 0.962), and IIIC patients with ILNr and stage IV (P = 0.668), respectively. A substage increase in the AJCC classification system, from IIIA to IIIB, from IIIB to IIIC, and from IIIC to IV in patients with ILNr, enhanced the accuracy of prognostic prediction in patients with stage III gastric cancer compared to the current TNM system (Likelihood ratio χ2, 188.6 vs. 184.8; AIC, 4336.4 vs. 4340.6; C-index, 0.695 vs. 0.679, P = 0.002). The ROC curves revealed that the performance of prognostic prediction was better in the new prediction system (AUC = 0.699) compared with the current TNM system (AUC = 0.676).ConclusionsILNr (LNs

Introduction Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can experience rapid disease progression between initial staging FDG-PET scans and commencement of curative-intent radiotherapy (RT). Previous studies that estimated stage migration rates by comparing staging PET/CT and treatment-planning PET/CT images were limited by small sample sizes. Methods This multicenter, international study combined prospective data from five institutions for PET-staged patients with NSCLC who were intended to receive curative-intent RT. TNM status was compared for staging and RT planning scans and the probability of TNM status and overall stage migration was analyzed as a function of the interval between PET/CT scans. The impacts of N classification, overall stage, and pathology were also studied. Results Pooled data from 181 patients were analyzed. The median interval between PET/CT scans was 42 days (range, 2–208). Upstaging occurred in 32 % of patients. The overall rate of stage migration was higher for patients presenting with initial stage IIIB/IIIC disease (p = 0.006) and patients with N2−3 nodal disease (p = 0.019). Upstaging to M1 disease was significantly associated with initial stage IIIB/IIIC disease (HR = 15.2) and adenocarcinoma (HR = 10) histology. Conclusion Longer intervals between imaging and treatment in patients with NSCLC were associated with high rates disease progression with consequent risks of geographic miss in RT planning and futile treatment in patients with M1 disease. Patients with more extensive initial nodal involvement and those with adenocarcinoma had the highest rates of stage migration. Dedicated RT planning PET/CT imaging is recommended, especially if >3 weeks have elapsed after initial staging.

Introduction: The utility of amyloidosis staging systems has been validated for newly diagnosed patients, but their role in restaging after starting treatment has not been explored. Given the high early mortality in this disease, restaging remote from the diagnosis may have clinical value. We designed this study to evaluate whether the currently used staging systems are prognostic when applied at 3 and 6 months from starting first-line treatment, and whether stage migration impacts survival. Methods: This is a retrospective study including patients with systemic light chain amyloidosis diagnosed between January, 1st 2006 and June, 30th 2019 and were seen in Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN within 90 days of diagnosis; the analysis included 535 and 301 patients who had restaging data available for at least one of the staging systems at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Patients were grouped into 4 stages using the 2015 European modification of the Mayo 2004 staging system based on values of cardiac biomarkers (cardiac troponin T and NTproBNP), and using the Mayo 2012 staging system based on cardiac biomarkers and the difference in serum free light chain concentration (dFLC). Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the time of re-staging until death or last follow up. Results: Using the modified Mayo 2004 staging system at 3 months from starting first-line treatment, median OS was 11.8 [95%CI: 11.4-not reached (NR)], 10.8 (95%CI: 9.4-NR), 4.6 (95%CI: 2.8-6.7), and 1.1 (95%CI: 0.7-2.6) years in patients with stage I, II, IIIa, and IIIb, respectively. Using Mayo 2012 staging at 3 months, OS was 11.8 (95%CI: 10.9-NR), 9.0 (95%CI: 6.2-NR), 5.2 (95%CI: 3.3-6.1), and 0.8 (95%CI: 0.7-1.1) years in patients with stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively (Figure 1a &b). Using the modified Mayo 2004 staging system at 6 months from starting first-line treatment, median OS was NR (95%CI: NR-NR), 9.8 (95%CI: 6.2-NR), 5.4 (95%CI: 3.2-9.0) and 0.9 (95%CI: 0.6-3.7) years in patients with stage I, II, IIIa, and IIIb, respectively. Using Mayo 2012 staging at 6 months, OS was NR (95%CI: 8.4-NR), NR (95%CI: 7.9-NR), 4.6 (95%CI: 3.0-6.5), and 0.9 (95%CI: 0.2-1.8) years in patients with stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively (Figure 1c &d). On multivariate analysis, advanced (stage > 2) modified Mayo 2004 stage (HR: 1.6, P=0.004) and advanced (stage > 2) Mayo 2012 stage (HR: 2.4, P For both systems, worsening stage at 3 months or at 6 months was associated with a worse survival than retaining the original stage. In contrast, improving stage as compared to remaining in same stage was not associated with better survival at 3 or 6 months (Table 1). When the analysis was restricted to patients who had an advanced stage at diagnosis, improving stage at 3 months was associated with longer survival compared to retaining the original stage, with both modified Mayo 2004 (10.8 vs. 3.3 years, P Conclusion: The modified Mayo 2004 and the Mayo 2012 staging systems have independent prognostic value when used for restaging after 3 and 6 months from initiation of first-line treatment. Migration to a higher stage from diagnosis predicts decreased survival, compared to retaining the same stage. Stage improvement is associated with a better OS in patients with advanced stage at diagnosis. Disclosures Dispenzieri: Alnylam, Intellia, Janssen, Takeda, Pfizer, Prothena, Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Kapoor:GlaxoSmithKline: Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria; Amgen: Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; Cellectar: Consultancy. Dingli:Rigel: Consultancy; Millenium: Consultancy; Sanofi-Genzyme: Consultancy; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Alexion: Consultancy; Apellis: Consultancy. Lin:Novartis: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bluebird Bio: Consultancy, Research Funding; Sorrento: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gamida Cells: Consultancy; Takeda: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Legend BioTech: Consultancy; Juno: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Vineti: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Research Funding. Gertz:Alnylam: Consultancy; NCI SPORE MM: Research Funding; Ionis/Akcea: Consultancy; Amyloidosis Foundation: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; Johnson and Johnson: Speakers Bureau; DAVA oncology: Speakers Bureau; Advisory Board for Pharmacyclics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Advisory Board for Proclara: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; i3Health: Consultancy; Springer Publishing: Patents & Royalties; Prothena: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Spectrum: Consultancy, Research Funding; Annexon: Consultancy; Appellis: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Medscape: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Physicians Education Resource: Consultancy; Data Safety Monitoring board from Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; International Waldenstrom Foundation: Research Funding. Kumar:Oncopeptides: Consultancy, Other: Independent Review Committee; IRC member; Genecentrix: Consultancy; Cellectar: Other; Genentech/Roche: Other: Research funding for clinical trials to the institution, Consulting/Advisory Board participation with no personal payments; Celgene/BMS: Other: Research funding for clinical trials to the institution, Consulting/Advisory Board participation with no personal payments; Kite Pharma: Consultancy, Research Funding; MedImmune: Research Funding; Carsgen: Other, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Other: Research funding for clinical trials to the institution, Consulting/Advisory Board participation with no personal payments, Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen Oncology: Other: Research funding for clinical trials to the institution, Consulting/Advisory Board participation with no personal payments; Takeda: Other: Research funding for clinical trials to the institution, Consulting/Advisory Board participation with no personal payments; Karyopharm: Consultancy; AbbVie: Other: Research funding for clinical trials to the institution, Consulting/Advisory Board participation with no personal payments; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Tenebio: Other, Research Funding; Dr. Reddy's Laboratories: Honoraria; Sanofi: Research Funding.

Background The main negative prognostic factors in patients with rectal cancer after radical treatment include regional lymph node involvement, lymphovascular invasion, and perineural invasion. However, some patients still develop cancer recurrence despite the absence of the above risk factors. The aim of the study was to assess clinicopathological factors influencing long-term oncologic outcomes in ypN0M0 rectal cancer patients after neoadjuvant therapy and radical anterior resection. Methods A retrospective survival analysis was performed on a group of 195 patients. We assessed clinicopathological factors which included tumor regression grade, number of lymph nodes in the specimen, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), and colorectal anastomotic leakage (AL). Results In the univariate analysis, AL and CCI > 3 had a significant negative impact on disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). After the division of ALs into early and late ALs, it was found that only patients with late ALs had a significantly worse survival. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that CCI > 3 was a significant adverse risk factor for DFS (HR 5.78, 95% CI 2.15–15.51, p < 0.001), DSS (HR 7.25, 95% CI 2.25–23.39, p < 0.001), and OS (HR 3.9, 95% CI 1.72–8.85, p = 0.001). Similarly, late ALs had a significant negative impact on the risk of DFS (HR 5.05, 95% CI 1.97–12.93, p < 0.001), DSS (HR 10.84, 95% CI 3.44–34.18, p < 0.001), and OS (HR 4.3, 95% CI 1.94–9.53, p < 0.001). Conclusions Late AL and CCI > 3 are the factors that may have an impact on long-term oncologic outcomes. The impact of lymph node yield on understaging was not demonstrated.

Introduction Three-dimensional image-guided brachytherapy (3D-IGBT) has become widespread, improving the outcomes of cervical cancers dramatically. In 2018, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system for cervical cancer was revised. However, the influence of the revisions on the stage distribution and outcomes of cervical cancers treated with 3D-IGBT remains unclear. To address this issue, we assembled a study cohort that comprised solely of cases treated with definitive radiotherapy using 3D-IGBT and compared the stage distribution and outcomes between the FIGO 2009 and FIGO 2018 staging systems. Methods Patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma treated with definitive radiotherapy using 3D-IGBT from 2009 through 2017 were retrospectively collected. The patients were stratified using the FIGO 2009 or 2018 criteria, and survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier methods. Results In 221 patients (median follow-up, 60 months), stage migration occurred in 52.9% of the patients. Patients classified with the 2018 criteria as stage IIICr had the highest proportion (43.8%) of migration, and were mainly from the 2009 stages IIB and IIIB. The 2009 and 2018 schemas showed comparable performance at stratifying 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) for patients in stages IB–IVA. The 2018 criteria effectively stratified 5-year OS and PFS in the stage III substages. The 5-year OS and PFS for stage IIIC1r patients varied according to tumor T stage. Conclusion These results provide evidence for the utility of the revised 2018 FIGO staging system in the clinical management of cervical cancers in the 3D-IGBT era.

Introduction The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification for gastric cancer introduced changes, mainly in stage III, with the incorporation of the pN3 sub-classification in the final staging group. The goal was to compare the 7th and 8th editions to evaluate the discriminative capacity of the new edition. Methods This study was a retrospective review of patients with gastric cancer treated with surgery in 2013 and 2014. Results We analysed 310 patients, with a median age of 66 years and out of which 55.5% were male. The most commonly performed surgery was subtotal gastrectomy (n = 158; 51%), with a median of 30 lymph nodes removed. With a median follow-up of 39.5 months, the 1- and 3-year overall survival (OS) was 82% and 59%, respectively. In stage III (n = 115), there was stage migration in 40 cases (34.8%), with upstage in 11 cases and downstage in 29 cases. In this group, there was a statistically significant difference in OS between N3a and N3b patients (p = 0.002), as well as a statistically significant difference in OS between stages IIIA, IIIB and IIIC when the 8th edition was applied (p = 0.001), which was not verified with the 7th edition (p = 0.057). In multivariate analysis, both extracapsular extension and N classification from TNM were independent prognostic factors (p = 0.033 and p = 0.024, respectively). Conclusion The 8th edition of the AJCC TNM classification allows for a better prognostic refinement, namely in the new stage III groups after the stratification of lymph node disease in N3a and N3b. Factors that evaluate the biological behaviour of the disease remain excluded from this edition, such as extracapsular extension, which had a prognostic impact in our series.

In Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is the most widely used loco-regional treatment not only in the intermediate stage, but often also in early or advanced disease (“treatment stage migration”), but is the least standardised, both in terms of indication and techniques. The rationale for the efficacy of transarterial therapies is that the vascularisation of HCC is, for the most part, dependent on the hepatic artery. Conventional TACE (cTACE) consists of the intra-arterial administration of a chemotherapeutic drug emulsified with Lipiodol followed by embolisation of the tumor-feeding vessels with an embolic agent (most commonly gel foam particles). Drug-eluting bead-TACE (DEB-TACE) in progressively challenging cTACE; DEB-TACE is supposed to maximise the concentration of a cytotoxic drug at the tumour level, with a slower release of the drug into tumour and minimal systemic exposure. Beads, along with their embolic properties, segregate the chemotherapeutic agent and release it over a one-week period. At present, data from the literature do not confirm the superiority of DEB-TACE over cTACE in terms of patient survival, tumour response and safety, and the choice is therefore left to the operator. Several cytotoxic drugs are administrated in both conventional and DEB-TACE. The most widely used is doxorubicin, with no evidence of its superiority over other chemotherapeutics. Transarterial embolisation (TAE) consists of a embolisation of a tumour-feeding arteries with embolic agents without adding any chemotherapeutic drugs. To date, the relative effectiveness of TACE over TAE has not been established in randomised trials. Combined treatment (radiofrequency ablation (RFA) plus TACE) is safe and effective for the treatment of unresectable patients with early/intermediate HCC exceeding 3 cm in size. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) is frequently adopted for the treatment of locally advanced HCC in Japan, based on reports of high response rates and favourable long-term outcomes. Firm evidence of the superiority of one over the other has not yet been established. In the future, a demonstration of the survival advantage of HAIC over systemic therapies and the recognition of HAIC as one of the standards treatmens for patients with advanced HCC are expected. In intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), hepatic arterial therapy (HAT) seems to be a promising strategy for improving outcomes in patients with unresectable ICC. The best outcomes in termas of response and OS are reported by HAIC even it is associated with increased toxicity. Targeted treatment strategy based on patient-disease characteristic is a goal for future research. In liver metastases, liver-directed therapies have become common due to the increased complexity of hepatic surgery. Intra-arterial treatment options include TACE, TAE, HAIC and ablative techniques, such as microwave irradiation (MWI) or RF ablation. The evidence supports their use to provide salvage options when first-line treatment has failed. Although these treatments have been applied without high-level clinical evidance, they have allowed tailoring the clinical approach to the individual based on disease status and clinical condition. In patients with well-differentiated unresectable hypervascular neuroendocrine tumour (NET) liver metastases, TAE, TACE and selective transarterial radioembolisation (TARE) are the preferred choices among other treatment modalities. Transarterial embolisation and TACE generally achieve average symptomatic, biological and radiological responces of 75%, 56% and 50%, respectively with a progression-free survival of 12-18 months, with acceptable tolerance.

Objective: To investigate differences in local tumour staging between clinical examination and MRI and differences between FIGO 2009, FIGO 2018 and TNM in patients with primary cervical cancer undergoing definitive radio-chemotherapy. Methods: Patients from the prospective observational multi-centre study “EMBRACE” were considered for analysis. All patients had gynaecological examination and pelvic MRI before treatment. Nodal status was assessed by MRI, CT, PET-CT or lymphadenectomy. For this analysis, patients were restaged according to the FIGO 2009, FIGO 2018 and TNM staging system. The local tumour stage was evaluated for MRI and clinical examination separately. Descriptive statistics were used to compare local tumour stages and different staging systems. Results: Data was available from 1338 patients. For local tumour staging, differences between MRI and clinical examination were found in 364 patients (27.2%). Affected lymph nodes were detected in 52%. The two most frequent stages with FIGO 2009 are IIB (54%) and IIIB (16%), with FIGO 2018 IIIC1 (43%) and IIB (27%) and with TNM T2b N0 M0 (27%) and T2b N1 M0 (23%) in this cohort. Conclusions: MRI and clinical examination resulted in a different local tumour staging in approximately one quarter of patients. Comprehensive knowledge of the differential value of clinical examination and MRI is necessary to define one final local stage, especially when a decision about treatment options is to be taken. The use of FIGO 2009, FIGO 2018 and TNM staging system leads to differences in stage distributions complicating comparability of treatment results. TNM provides the most differentiated stage allocation.

BACKGROUND: This propensity score matching (PSM) analysis assessed the influence of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) count on stage migration and survival in node-negative (pN0) gastric cancer (GC) patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 7,620 GC patients who underwent curative gastric resection in three Chinese medical centers. PSM was used to reduce the confounding effects between the pN0 GC patients with ELNs

Purpose: To determine the optimal number of examined lymph nodes (ELN) and that of examined node stations (ENS) in patients with radiologically pure-solid non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLCs), and to investigate the impact of ELN and ENS on accurate staging and long-term survival. Methods: Data from six institutions in China on resected c-stageⅠ-Ⅱ NSCLCs presenting as pure-solid tumors were analyzed for the impact of ELN and ENS on nodal upstaging, stage migration, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) by using multivariate models. The correlations between different endpoints and ELN or ENS were fitted with a LOWESS smoother, and the structural break points were determined by Chow test. Results: Both ELN and ENS were identified as prognostic factors for OS (ENS: HR, 0.697; 95%CI: 0.590 to 0.824; P Conclusion: Both ELN and ENS are associated with more-accurate node staging and better long-term survival. We recommend 16 LNs and 5 stations as the cut point for evaluating the quality of LN examination for c-stageⅠ-Ⅱ patients with radiologically pure-solid NSCLCs.

Objectives: To determine the optimal number of examined lymph nodes (ELNs) and examined node stations (ENSs) in patients with radiologically pure-solid NSCLC and to investigate the impact of ELNs and ENSs on accurate staging and long-term survival. Methods: Data from six institutions in the People’s Republic of China on resected c-stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ NSCLCs presenting as pure-solid tumors were analyzed for the impact of ELNs and ENSs on nodal upstaging, stage migration, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival by using multivariate models. The correlations between different end points and ELNs or ENSs were fitted with a smoother (using Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing tool), and the structural break points were determined by the Chow test. Results: Both ELNs and ENSs were identified as prognostic factors for overall survival (ENS: hazard ratio [HR], 0.697; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.590–0.824; p < 0.001; ELN: HR, 0.945; 95% CI: 0.909–0.983; p = 0.005) and recurrence-free survival (ENS: HR, 0.863; 95% CI: 0.791–0.941; p = 0.001; ELN: HR, 0.960; 95% CI: 0.938–0.981; p < 0.001). Intraoperative ELNs and ENSs were found to be associated with postoperative nodal upstaging. Cut point analysis revealed an optimal cutoff of 16 LNs and five node stations for patients with c-stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ pure-solid NSCLCs, which were examined in our multi-institutional cohort. Conclusions: Both ELNs and ENSs are associated with more accurate node staging and better long-term survival. We recommend 16 LNs and five stations as the cut point for evaluating the quality of LN examination for c-stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ patients with radiologically pure-solid NSCLCs.

Introduction Upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) account for 5% to 10% of urothelial cancers. The phenomenon of stage migration in tumors has been evident with increased use and higher resolution of cross-sectional imaging. Using the National Cancer Database, we analyzed trends in stage at presentation and overall survival for UTUCs. Patients and Methods We analyzed UTUCs in the renal pelvis or ureter from 2004 to 2016. Pathologic tumor stage data were available for 71.3% of patients and clinical tumor staging were available for 28.7% of patients. Five-year overall survival was analyzed comparing patients between 2004-2007 and 2008-2011. Tumor stage was categorized as early (0-1), intermediate (2-3), or late (4) for survival analyses. Linear regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were utilized. Results A total of 37,210 renal pelvic and 23,200 ureteral origin UTUC cases were evaluated. Stage migration toward stage 0 and stage 4 was observed. There was a significant increase in proportion of stage 0 Ta/Tis (22.8%-33.4%, R2 = 0.86, P Conclusion There is a stage migration toward stage 0 and stage 4 disease for UTUC. Five-year survival data from 2004 to 2011 remained stable across early, intermediate, and late stage groups.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical impact of FDG-PET/CT for staging and treatment planning in high-risk primary breast cancer. Methods: Women with high-risk primary breast cancer were enrolled between September 2017 and August 2019 at Odense University Hospital, Denmark. Conventional mammography with/without MRI was performed before staging by FDG-PET/CT. We studied the accuracy of FDG-PET/CT for the detection of distant metastases, the effect on the change of treatment, and the prevalence of incidental findings. Biopsy and follow-up were used as a reference standard for the accuracy analysis. Results: Of 103 women, 24 (23%) were diagnosed with distant metastases by FDG-PET/CT. Among these, breast surgery was omitted in 18 and could have been spared in six. Another sixteen (16%) patients were upstaged to more advanced loco-regional disease, leading to more extensive radiotherapy. Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing distant metastases were 1.00 (95% confidence interval: 0.86–1.00) and 0.95 (0.88–0.99), respectively. Twenty-nine incidental findings were detected in 24 women (23%), leading to further examinations in 22 and diagnosis of eight (8/22, 36%) synchronous diseases: cancer (n = 4), thyroiditis (n = 2), aorta aneurysm (n = 1), and meningioma (n = 1). Conclusions: FDG-PET/CT had a substantial impact on staging and change of treatment in women with high-risk primary breast cancer, and further examination of incidental findings was considered clinically relevant. Our findings suggest that FDG-PET/CT should be considered for primary staging in high-risk primary breast cancer to improve treatment planning.

Objectives To determine the optimal number of examined lymph nodes (ELN) and that of examined node stations (ENS) in patients with radiologically pure-solid non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLCs), and to investigate the impact of ELN and ENS on accurate staging and long-term survival. Methods Data from six institutions in China on resected c-stageⅠ-Ⅱ NSCLCs presenting as pure-solid tumors were analyzed for the impact of ELN and ENS on nodal upstaging, stage migration, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) by using multivariate models. The correlations between different endpoints and ELN or ENS were fitted with a LOWESS smoother, and the structural break points were determined by Chow test. Results Both ELN and ENS were identified as prognostic factors for OS (ENS: HR, 0.697; 95%CI: 0.590 to 0.824; P Conclusion Both ELN and ENS are associated with more-accurate node staging and better long-term survival. We recommend 16 LNs and 5 stations as the cut point for evaluating the quality of LN examination for c-stageⅠ-Ⅱ patients with radiologically pure-solid NSCLCs.

BACKGROUND Lymph node (LN) metastasis is one of the independent prognostic factors of gastric cancer (GC). The difference in survival rates and initial recurrence patterns in patients with node-positive GC with retrieved LN numbers greater than or less than 16 is worthy of further study. METHODS A total of 1314 patients with node-positive GC were enrolled. The clinicopathological characteristics, retrieved LN numbers, adjuvant chemotherapy, initial recurrence patterns, and survival differences between serosa-negative and serosa-positive GC were investigated. RESULTS For serosa-negative GC, patients with retrieved LN numbers ≥16 were associated with fewer tumor recurrences, locoregional recurrences, distant metastases, and better 5-year overall survival (OS) rates and disease-free survival (DFS) rates. For serosa-positive GC, patients with retrieved LN numbers ≥16 were associated with similar locoregional and distant metastasis and similar 5-year OS and DFS rates compared with those with retrieved LN numbers

Purpose Recently, the 8th edition staging system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was released, including a change in T category. We aimed to validate the new AJCC system. Materials and methods The predictive value of the new AJCC was validated in comparison to the previous edition, in a total 1,008 patients who underwent curative resection for HCC as initial treatment. Results The 2-year area under the curve values for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were comparable in the 7th and 8th editions. Stage migration was observed in 63 patients (6.3%); from T2 to T1a for 44 patients and from T3 to T4 for 19 patients. The RFS and OS were not different between T1a and T1b in the 8th edition. For solitary tumors ≤ 2 cm, those with microvascular invasion had lower RFS and OS values than those without although they were all classified as T1a in the 8th edition. Tumors involving a major branch of the portal or hepatic vein (T4 by the 8th edition and T3b by the 7th edition) had shorter RFS and OS than multifocal tumors, at least one of which was > 5 cm (T3 by the 8th edition and T3a by the 7th edition). Conclusion The AJCC 8th edition staging system for HCC showed comparable predictive performance to the 7th edition. It is desirable in a future revision to consider sub-stratification of solitary tumors ≤ 2 cm (T1a) depending on the presence of vascular invasion, which is not included in the 8th edition.

Purpose: To study the role of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for the treatment of retinoblastoma eyes that were not cured by combined systemic chemotherapy and focal consolidation therapy.Methods and Materials: A retrospective case series of 28 eyes for 24 retinoblastoma patients treated by EBRT after the failure of tumor controlled by chemotherapy and focal therapy. The main outcome measures included: international intraocular retinoblastoma classification stage (IIRC) and Reese Ellsworth (RE) stage, tumor seeding, treatment modalities, eye salvage, and survival.Results: The median age at diagnosis was 11 months. There were 14 (58%) males and 20 (83%) bilateral cases. All eyes were treated initially by systemic chemotherapy (range; 6-8 cycles). The dose of radiation used for all eyes was 45 Gray (Gy).The mean follow-up was 75months, and the overall eye salvage rate after EBRT was 13 (46%) eyes: 67% (2/3) for IIRC group B, 71% (5/7) for group C, and 33% (6/18) for group D eyes. Vitreous seeds and tumor stage migration during management by chemotherapy were the most important significant predictive factors for tumor control (p = .001 and 0.033, respectively).Conclusion: Eyes with retinoblastoma that failed chemotherapy followed by focal therapy were controlled with EBRT. However, the presence of vitreous seeds, stage migration during the course of chemotherapy, as well as good vision in the other eye may not justify the known risks of EBRT.

Objective To compare FIGO 2009 and FIGO 2018 cervical cancer staging criteria with a focus on stage migration and treatment outcomes. Methods This study is based on a database cohort of 1282 patients newly diagnosed with cervical cancer from 1997 to 2019. All underwent standard clinical examination and whole-body FDG-PET. Tumor stage was recorded using the FIGO 2009 system, which excluded surgical pathologic, FDG-PET and other advanced imaging findings, and then re-classified to the FIGO 2018 system, including surgical pathologic and imaging findings. Patient management was based on clinical, surgical, and imaging findings. Stage migration and prognosis were evaluated. Results The distribution per the 2009 staging system was stage I in 593 (46%), stage II in 342 (27%), stage III in 263 (21%), and stage IV in 84 (7%) and the 2018 staging system was stage I in 354 (28%), stage II in 156 (12%), stage III in 601 (47%), and stage IV in 171 (13%). No patients were down-staged. Stage migration occurred in 53% (676/1282) and was attributable to detection of occult lymph node metastasis in 520 (41%), occult distant metastasis in 90 (7%), and tumor size and extent in 66 (5%). The 5-year progression-free survivals (PFS) by FIGO 2009 versus FIGO 2018 were as follows: stage I, 80% vs. 87% (p = 0.02); stage II, 59% vs. 71% (p = 0.002); stage III, 35% vs. 55% (p Conclusion Inclusion of surgical pathologic and imaging findings resulted in upward stage migration in the majority, mostly related to nodal and distant metastasis. While FIGO 2018 improves survival discriminatory ability for stages I and IV patients, survival remains heterogeneous among stage III substages.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Staging plays an important role in treatment planning. In the staging system published by AJCC in 2002, micrometastasis, the total number of metastatic lymph nodes, internal mammarian and supraclavicular lymph node metastases, and level III (apical) lymph node metastases were incorporated to the staging system. These modifications are likely to cause upstaging and changes in treatment plans, precisely in patients previously considered as stage II. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of update in staging system in terms of mortality and morbidity. The records of 150 patients who underwent surgery for stage II breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. The patients who were accepted as stage II according to the previous staging systems and planned to be treated accordingly were re-evaluated according to the newly updated staging system. Patients with and without stage change were compared in terms of mortality, local and systemic recurrence, and disease-free survival. We found that 41 (27.3%) of the patients who were accepted as stage II according to the previous staging systems had been upstaged in the new staging system. The relationship between stage migration and tumor diameter was statistically significant. Thirty-one patients (20.7%) had recurrence during follow-up. We found that most of the patients with recurrence (77.4%) had stage migration. There was a statistically significant relationship between apical lymph node involvement and recurrence. Updates in staging system of breast cancer cause stage migration in a significant proportion of patients with stage II breast cancer and are likely to lead to a change in treatment plans in some patients. Stage migration also has an impact on prognosis. In fact, recurrence is more common in patients with stage migration. [Med-Science 2020; 9(3.000): 579-84]

Surgical resection with lymph node dissection is the primary therapeutic modality for gastric cancer. National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to determine the extent of lymph nodes (LNs) dissection for gastric cancer.The NCDB was queried from 2004-2013 for patients with margin-negative, invasive resected gastric cancer. The optimal number of LNs dissected was determined using a univariate χA total of 17,851 patients were included. For all patients, the optimal number of LNs needed to be examined was 20+ nodes. When correcting for stage migration (7 LNs removed), the optimal cut-off value was 20+ LNs. When stratifying by pathologic nodal stage, the cut-off point was 10+ LNs for pN1 and pN2. The 5-year survival was 30.6%±1.6% for 0-9 removed LNs compared to 48.2%±1.2% for 10+ removed LNs (P0.001) in pN1 disease and 18.3%±1.7% for 0-9 removed LNs compared to 32.6%±1.2% for 10+ removed LNs (P0.001) in pN2 disease. For pN3 disease, the optimal cut-off point was 20+ LNs; the 5-year survival was 17.2%±1.3% for 0-19 removed LNs compared to 28.5%±1.7% for 20+ removed LNs (P0.001). Moreover, the outcome was inferior among patients who had10% positive dissected LNs (P0.05).The extent of dissected lymph nodes of 20 or greater lymph nodes was associated with superior survival. Extended LN dissection is to be considered especially in patients with clinical lymphadenopathy.

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality accounting for 15.4 % of total cancer in Nepal. With revision of the Lung cancer staging system by International Association for the Study of Lung Cancerand adoption of seventh edition of staging system by American Joint Committee on Cancer in 2010, the application of seventh edition of staging system has significant impact on stage of disease which ultimately defines treatment strategyand overall prognosis.Objective: To improve stage precision by adapting new staging system, this will directly refl ect on disease treatment, survival and prognosis.Methodology: Medical records of 151 patients with lung cancer attending Oncology Department, between 2015 and 2016 were retrospectively reclassified using both sixth and seventh editions of staging system. Data were collected compared and managed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Ethical clearance was obtained from Institutional Review Board.Results: Stage migration was seen in 15.23 % of total cases. Seven percent of cases staged down from IIIB to IIIA. Four percent were staged up from IIIB to IV. Remaining were down staged from T4 to T3 and T3 to T2 due to sub categorization of tumor by size in seventh edition.Conclusions: There was downstage from IIIB to IIIA and upstage from IIIB to IV because of revised staging system. Thus, it is essential to have detailed radiological staging and routine pleural fluid cytology before initiation of treatment, which will further help to stage accurately and treat properly. This carries direct impact on prognosis and survival. Journal of Kathmandu Medical College,Vol. 7, No. 2, Issue 24, Apr.-Jun., 2018, Page: 55-58