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Background. Evidence for the safety and benefits of exercise training as a therapeutic and rehabilitative intervention for cancer survivors is accumulating. However, whereas the evidence for the efficacy of exercise training has been established in several meta-analyses, synthesis of qualitative research is lacking. In order to extend healthcare professionals' understanding of the meaningfulness of exercise in cancer survivorship care, this paper aims to identify, appraise and synthesize qualitative studies on cancer survivors' experience of participation in exercise-based rehabilitation. Material and methods. Five electronic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, Cinahl and Scopus) were searched systematically for articles published up to May 2014 using keywords and MeSH terms. To be included, studies had to contain primary data pertaining to patient experiences from participation in supervised, structured moderate to vigorous-intensity exercise. Results. In total 2447 abstracts were screened and 37 papers were read in full. Of these, 19 studies (n = 390) were selected for inclusion and critically appraised. Synthesis of data extracted from eight studies including in total 174 patients (77% women, age 28-76 years) exclusively reporting experiences of participation in structured, supervised exercise training resulted in nine themes condensed into three categories: 1) emergence of continuity; 2) preservation of health; and 3) reclaiming the body reflecting the benefits of exercise-based rehabilitation according to cancer survivors. Accordingly, the potential of rebuilding structure in everyday life, creating a normal context and enabling the individual to re-establish confidentiality and trust in their own body and physical potential constitute substantial qualities fundamental to the understanding of the meaningfulness of exercise-based rehabilitation from the perspective of patients. Conclusions. In addition to the accumulating evidence for the efficacy of exercise training in cancer rehabilitation, it is incumbent upon clinicians and policy-makers to acknowledge and promote the meaningfulness of exercise for the individual, and to use this knowledge to provide new solutions to current problems related to recruitment of underserved populations, long-term adherence and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on several European Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship (ECRS) meetings in which 140 papers published in Acta Oncologica. It mentions the course and risk of late effects in childhood cancer survivors are well described and risk factors identified are all closely related to the specific treatment provided for the cancer disease; and also mentions the papers address Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) use and readiness for e-health solutions during therapy and rehabilitation.

Background:To help the growing number of cancer survivors deal with the challenges of cancer survivorship, survivorship care plans (SCPs) were recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2006. The SCP is a formal document that contains both a tailored treatment summary and a follow-up care plan. Since the IOM recommendation 10 years ago, the implementation in daily clinical practice is minimal. Several studies have investigated the effects of SCPs on patient-reported outcomes and oncology and primary care providers (PCPs), but the quantity and quality of these studies are limited. Results:The first four randomized trials comparing SCP delivery with usual care failed to show a positive effect on satisfaction with information provision, satisfaction with care, distress or quality of life. SCPs did improve the amount of information provided and communication of PCPs with medical specialists and patients. A recent small trial that changed the focus from SCP as primarily an information delivery intervention to a behavioral intervention did observe positive effects on self-reported health, lower social role limitations and a trend towards greater self-efficacy. Gaps in knowledge about SCPs include uncertainty about content and length of the SCP; whether it should be delivered online or on paper; the timing and frequency of delivery; which health care provide should deliver SCP care. Finally, cost-effectiveness of SCP interventions has received limited attention. Conclusion:Currently, there is not enough evidence to warrant large-scale implementation of SCPs, or to abandon SCPs altogether. Emphasis on the SCP process and survivor engagement, supporting self-management may be an important way forward in SCP delivery. Whether this is beneficial and cost-effective on the long term and among different groups of cancer survivors needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction. An at least 3-month expected survival is a common inclusion criterion in cancer treatment trials, including advanced pancreatic cancer phase III studies. Published survival curves for advanced pancreatic cancer however seem to reflect a substantial survival shortfall. We wanted to assess the strength of this observation and search for an explanation by reviewing the literature. Methods. A Medline and EMBASE search was done for chemotherapy or chemotherapy based phase III studies in advanced pancreatic cancer published since 1997. Similar search was done at the American Society's of Clinical Oncology web site for abstracts presented since 2000. Three months mortality was based on the survival curves presented. Results. Fourteen papers and five abstracts met our criteria and are included in our review. Six thousand two hundred and twelve patients participated in these trials and 1 447 (23.3%) died in the first 3-month period. Figures were worse in patients with metastases and poorer performance status. Assuming that most deaths during treatment happened during the first 3-months, cause of death was reported in only 40 cases (2.8%). Progressive cancer was reported as cause of death in 21 of these cases. Less frequent causes of death were reported to be infections, 'complications of cancer', thromboembolic events and renal failure. Discussion. Overall treatment-related deaths represent a very small percentage of the deaths happening during the 3-month period, and are unlikely to be under-reported given the Good Clinical Practice oversight of these trials. Progressive cancer is likely to be an important cause of early mortality but given the very select nature of the trial-related population this cannot explain the phenomenon of 3-month early death burden of 23.3%. Our hypothesis, supported by multiple autopsy series, is that early death burden in advanced pancreatic cancer trial patients is likely to be due to under-reported vascular thromboembolic events. Thromboprophylaxis needs to be addressed in future trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nordic countries have a long tradition of large-scale biobanking and comprehensive, population-based health data registries linkable on unique personal identifiers, enabling follow-up studies spanning many decades. Joint Nordic biobank-based studies provide unique opportunities for longitudinal molecular epidemiological research. The purpose of the present paper is to describe the possibilities for such joint studies, by describing some of the major Nordic biobank cohorts with a standardised calculation of the cancer incidence in these cohorts. Altogether two million donors have since 1966 donated more than four million biological samples, stored at-20°C to-135°C, to 17 biobank cohorts in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. As a result of joint database handling principles, the accuracy of personal identifiers and completeness of follow-up for vital status in all participating biobanks was improved. Thereafter, the cancer incidence was determined using follow-up through the national cancer registries. Biobanks based on random samples of population typically showed slightly lower cancer incidence rates than the general population, presumably due to better participation rates among health-conscious subjects. On the other hand, biobanks including samples for viral screening or clinical testing showed 1. 5 to 2. 1 fold increased incidence of cancer. This excess was very high immediately after sampling, but for some cancer sites remained elevated for years after clinical sampling. So far, more than 100,000 malignant neoplasms have occurred after sample donation, and the annual increase of the cancer cases in these cohorts is about 10,000. The estimates on the population-representativity of the biobanks will assist in interpretation of generalizability of results of future studies based on these samples, and the systematic tabulations of numbers of cancer cases will serve in study power estimations. The present paper summarizes optimal study designs of biobank-based studies of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of multimodality therapy, the overall five-year survival rate from childhood cancer has improved considerably now exceeding 80% in developed European countries. This growing cohort of survivors, with many years of life ahead of them, has raised the necessity for knowledge concerning the risks of adverse long-term sequelae of the life-saving treatments in order to provide optimal screening and care and to identify and provide adequate interventions. Childhood cancer survivor cohorts in Europe. Considerable advantages exist to study late effects in individuals treated for childhood cancer in a European context, including the complementary advantages of large population-based cancer registries and the unrivalled opportunities to study lifetime risks, together with rich and detailed hospital-based cohorts which fill many of the gaps left by the large-scale population-based studies, such as sparse treatment information. Several large national cohorts have been established within Europe to study late effects in individuals treated for childhood cancer including the Nordic Adult Life after Childhood Cancer in Scandinavia study (ALiCCS), the British Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (BCCSS), the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group (DCOG) LATER study, and the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (SCCSS). Furthermore, there are other large cohorts, which may eventually become national in scope including the French Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (FCCSS), the French Childhood Cancer Survivor Study for Leukaemia (LEA), and the Italian Study on off-therapy Childhood Cancer Survivors (OTR). In recent years significant steps have been taken to extend these national studies into a larger pan-European context through the establishment of two large consortia - PanCareSurFup and PanCareLIFE. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the current large, national and pan-European studies of late effects after childhood cancer. This overview will highlight the strong cooperation across Europe, in particular the EU-funded collaborative research projects PanCareSurFup and PanCareLIFE. Overall goal. The overall goal of these large cohort studies is to provide every European childhood cancer survivor with better care and better long-term health so that they reach their full potential, and to the degree possible, enjoy the same quality of life and opportunities as their peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poorer survival in cancer patients with vs. without comorbidity has been reported for various cancer sites. For patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), limited data are available so far. Patients with CRC diagnosed between 2010 and 2018 were identified in a health claims database covering 20% of the German population. We assessed the prevalence of comorbidities at cancer diagnosis and categorized the patients into the groups: 'none', 'somatic only', 'mental only' or 'both' types of comorbidities. Hazard ratios (HR, with 95% confidence intervals) for five-year overall survival were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for age, sex and stage at diagnosis (advanced vs. non-advanced). We included 92,991 patients (females: 49.1%, median age: 72 years) with a median follow-up of 30 months. The proportions assigned to the groups 'none', 'somatic only', 'mental only' or 'both' were 24.7%, 65.5%, 1.4% and 8.4%. Overall, 32.8% of the patients died during follow-up. Compared to patients without comorbidities ('none'), the adjusted HR regarding death from any cause was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.07–1.14) in the group 'somatic only', 1.74 (95% CI: 1.58–1.92) in the group 'mental only' and 1.92 (95% CI: 1.84–2.00) in the group 'both'. For patients with 'mental only' comorbidities, the adjusted HR was higher in males than in females (HR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.88–2.55 vs. HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.37–1.75). Our results suggest that patients with CRC and with mental comorbidities, particularly males, have a markedly lower overall survival compared to those without any or only somatic comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to non-smokers, smokers have reduced effects of cancer treatment, and increased risk of treatment-related toxicity. Quitting smoking can improve treatment effects and reduce side effects. This study reports on the potential impact of a smoking cessation program on smoking cessation rates among patients in cancer treatment. Cancer patients 18 years and older who smoked, with survival prognosis ≥12 months, not suffering dementia or other mental illness, and who were referred to cancer treatment at six Norwegian hospitals were invited to participate. The study took place from 2017 to 2020 and used a pre-test-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The intervention group received structured smoking cessation guidance based on Motivational Interviewing combined with cost-free nicotine replacement products, while the control group received standard smoking cessation treatment. Self-reported smoking status were registered at baseline and at 6 months' follow up. 76% of patients smoked at baseline and 44% at follow-up in the intervention group, correspondingly 72% and 49% in the control group. In an analysis of differences in within-person change, the reduction in the intervention group was 13 percentage points larger (95% CI = (0.25, −0.005), p = 0.041). Adjusting for gender, age, education, labour market participation and partnership status did not attenuate the estimated effect (18 percentage point difference, 95% CI = (−0.346, −0.016), p = 0.032). Demographic factors and dropout rate differed somewhat between the groups with a higher dropout rate in the intervention group, 54% vs. 51%, respectively). Offering a structured smoking cessation program based on Motivational Interviewing and cost-free nicotine replacement products to cancer patients can increase cessation rates in comparison to standard smoking cessation care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to investigate the distribution of health problems in general practice (GP) among adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of lymphoma and to compare problem rates with the general population. All GP consultations between 2006 and 2020 were identified from the national GP claims register. Diseases and complaints presented 3–10 years after the cancer diagnosis were identified using the International Classification of Primary Care codes (ICPC-2) and compared by applying logistic regression models, presented with odds ratio (OR) and 95%CI. A total of 2,500,557 AYAs, of whom 1105 were diagnosed with lymphoma, and over 50 million GP consultations were included. The most common causes of consultation among AYA survivors of lymphoma were related to Hodgkin's disease (13%), pregnancy (11%), respiratory diseases (9%), psychological problems (8%), musculoskeletal system (6%) and fatigue (4%). Almost all these problems were significantly higher among AYA lymphoma survivors compared to the general population (OR ranging from 1.1 to 1.5). Compared to the general population, young lymphoma survivors have increased contact with the GP for a considerable number of health problems for up to 10 years post-diagnosis. This emphasizes the importance of robust follow-up and a good flow of information between hospital and primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-fractional anatomical changes challenge robust delivery of whole-pelvic proton therapy for high-risk prostate cancer. Pre-treatment robust evaluation (PRE) takes uncertainties in isocenter shifts and distal beam edge in treatment plans into account. Using weekly control computed tomography scans (cCTs), the aim of this study was to evaluate the PRE strategy by comparing to an off-line during-treatment robust evaluation (DRE) while also assessing plan robustness with respect to protocol planning constraints. Treatment plans and cCTs from ten patients included in the pilot phase of the PROstate PROTON Trial 1 were analysed. Treatment planning followed protocol guidelines with 78 Gy to the primary clinical target volume (CTVp) and 56 Gy to the elective target (CTVe) in 39 fractions. Recalculations of the treatment plans were performed for a total of 64 cCTs and dose/volume measures corresponding to clinical constraints were evaluated for this DRE against the simulated scenario interval from the PRE. Of the 64 cCTs, 59 showed DRE CTVp measures within the robustness range from the PRE; this was also the case for 39 of the cCTs for the CTVe measures. However, DRE CTVe coverage was still within constraints for 57 of the 64 cCTs. DRE dose/volume measures for CTVp fulfilled target coverage constraints in 59 of 64 cCTs. All DRE measures for the rectum, bladder, and bowel were inside the PRE range in 63, 39, and 31 cCTs, respectively. The PRE strategy predicted the DRE scenarios for CTVp and rectum. CTVe, bladder, and bowel showed more complex anatomical variations than simulated by the PRE isocenter shift. Both original and recalculated nominal treatment plans showed robust treatment delivery in terms of target coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group (DAHANCA) 35 trial, patients are selected for proton treatment based on simulated reductions of Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) for proton compared to photon treatment at the referring departments. After inclusion in the trial, immobilization, scanning, contouring and planning are repeated at the national proton centre. The new contours could result in reduced expected NTCP gain of the proton plan, resulting in a loss of validity in the selection process. The present study evaluates if contour consistency can be improved by having access to AI (Artificial Intelligence) based contours. The 63 patients in the DAHANCA 35 pilot trial had a CT from the local DAHANCA centre and one from the proton centre. A nationally validated convolutional neural network, based on nnU-Net, was used to contour OARs on both scans for each patient. Using deformable image registration, local AI and oncologist contours were transferred to the proton centre scans for comparison. Consistency was calculated with the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and Mean Surface Distance (MSD), comparing contours from AI to AI and oncologist to oncologist, respectively. Two NTCP models were applied to calculate NTCP for xerostomia and dysphagia. The AI contours showed significantly better consistency than the contours by oncologists. The median and interquartile range of DSC was 0.85 [0.78 − 0.90] and 0.68 [0.51 − 0.80] for AI and oncologist contours, respectively. The median and interquartile range of MSD was 0.9 mm [0.7 − 1.1] mm and 1.9 mm [1.5 − 2.6] mm for AI and oncologist contours, respectively. There was no significant difference in Δ NTCP. The study showed that OAR contours made by the AI algorithm were more consistent than those made by oncologists. No significant impact on the Δ NTCP calculations could be discerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients' anatomy may undergo significant changes during radiotherapy (RT). This potentially affects dose distribution and compromises conformity between planned and delivered dose. Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) is a promising technique to overcome this problem but requires a significant workload. This systematic review aims to estimate the clinical and dosimetric benefits of ART using prospective data. A search on PubMed and Web of Science according to the PRISMA guidelines was made on Feb 6, 2023. Search string used was: 'adaptive radiotherapy head neck cancer'. English language filter was applied. All studies were screened for inclusion on title and abstract, and the full text was read and discussed in the research group in case of uncertainty. Inclusion criteria were a prospective ART strategy for HNC investigating clinical or dosimetric outcomes. A total of 1251 articles were identified of which 15 met inclusion criteria. All included studies were published between 2010 and 2023 with a substantial diversity in design, endpoints, and nomenclature. The number of patients treated with ART was small with a median of 20 patients per study (range 4 to 86), undergoing 1-2 replannings. Mean dose to the parotid glands was reduced by 0.4-7.1 Gy. Maximum dose to the spinal cord was reduced by 0.5-4.6 Gy. Only five studies reported clinical outcome and disease control was excellent. Data on toxicity were ambiguous with some studies indicating reduced acute toxicity and xerostomia, while others found reduced quality of life in patients treated with ART. The literature on clinical ART in HNC is limited. ART is associated with small reductions in doses to organs at risk, but the influence on toxicity and disease control is uncertain. There is a clear need for larger, prospective trials with a well-defined control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Survival from breast cancer (BC) in Estonia has been consistently among the lowest in Europe. The aim of this study was to examine most recent trends in BC survival in Estonia by age and stage. The trends in overall BC incidence and mortality are also shown in the paper. Material and methods. Estonian Cancer Registry data on all cases of BC, diagnosed in women in Estonia during 1995-2007 (n = 7424) and followed up for vital status through 2009, were used to estimate relative survival ratios (RSR). Period hybrid approach was used to obtain the most recent estimates (2005-2009). Stage was classified as localized, local/regional spread or distant. Results. BC incidence continued to rise throughout the study period, but mortality has been in steady decline since 2000. The distribution of patients shifted towards older age and earlier stage at diagnosis. Overall age-standardized five-year RSR increased from 63% in 1995-1999 to 74% in 2005-2009. Younger age groups experienced a more rapid improvement compared to women over 60. Significant survival increase was observed for both localized and locally/regionally spread BC with five-year RSRs reaching 96% and 70% in 2005-2009, respectively; the latest five-year RSR for distant BC was 11%. Survival for T4 tumors was poor and large age difference was seen for locally/regionally spread BC. Conclusions. Considerable improvement in BC survival was observed over the study period. Women under 60 benefited most from both earlier diagnosis and treatment advances of locally/regionally spread cancers. However, the survival gap with more developed countries persists. Further increase in survival, but also decline in BC mortality in Estonia could be achieved by facilitating early diagnosis in all age groups, but particularly among women over 60. Investigations should continue to clarify the underlying mechanisms of the stage-specific survival deficit in Estonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the screening of cancer patients for psychological distress, the influence of hospital architecture on healing, and older cancer survivors.

Background. Sedentary behaviour and reduced exercise capacity are potential persisting effects of anti-cancer therapy that may predispose to serious health conditions. It is well-established that physical exercise may prevent some of these problems. However, the extent to which cancer survivors are able to adopt long-term physical activity habits depends largely on their motivation. Aim. This theoretical paper aims to outline how researchers and practitioners can draw from Antonovsky's salutogenetic theory and White & Epston's Narrative Therapy to develop and implement intervention efforts centered on promotion of long-term physical activity behaviour, while at the same time increasing the individual cancer survivor's sense of meaning and personal health resources. Material and methods. The Copenhagen PACT (Physical Activity after Cancer Treatment) Study targeting adoption and maintenance of regular physical activity in post-therapy cancer survivors is briefly presented including a brief review of the theoretical rationale behind the psychological component of the intervention, i.e. a narrative-based exercise counselling programme. Subsequently, particular attention is given to the core principles, different components and structure of the counselling manual including sample questions and examples of written documents that have emanated from the individual counselling sessions. Discussion. The discussion includes consideration of some methodological challenges that arise when attempting to evaluate narrative-based interventions in the context of physical activity promotion in cancer rehabilitation and survivorship care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The increasing incidence of cancer combined with prolonged survival times seen throughout the western world increases the need for rehabilitation. Diagnosis and treatment for cancer may have substantial effects on the patients' physical, psychological, social and existential well-being. The aim of this paper is to describe the current situation in cancer rehabilitation in the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Germany. Material and methods. Description of the current situation in cancer rehabilitation in the Nordic countries and literature review. Results. Rehabilitation as defined by multiple organizations covers a multidimensional view on chronic disease and its effect on the patient's life. The rehabilitation systems in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands differ depending on the differing social security and health-care systems, but rehabilitation provided is largely based on a similar, multidimensional and multidisciplinary understanding of cancer rehabilitation. Research on rehabilitation efforts in European countries indicates that there is substantial evidence with regard to single interventions which can be part of cancer rehabilitation. Discussion. In order to assure patients and families continuing quality of life, rehabilitation should be an integral and continuous part of all cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The clinical impact of trial-based quality of life (QL) outcomes is frequently underestimated due, in part, to prejudice and lack of knowledge by the medical community. The objectives of this paper are to show that QL assessments build upon an empirically based and stringent approach to measurement and QL outcomes should not be viewed nor handled differently than any other parameter in medical research. Material and methods. Literature overview. Results. The objectives are substantiated with empirical evidence showing that: (1) existing QL measures are as reliable as most other clinical outcomes; (2) available guidelines improve the quality of trial-based QL data; (3) QL data have strong prognostic value for survival; (4) clinical significance of QL data can be established; and (5) accounting for response-shift effects in QL data over time is feasible. Finally, the investigation of the genetic disposition of QL is described as an emerging area of research. Discussion. It is a waste of effort and money and also unethical when collected trial-based QL data are not used to their full power. QL and other patient-reported outcomes deserve to be included in more trials, with full disclosure of all results, and standardized interpretation. Only the combined use of patient-reported and clinical outcomes will enable the examination of the extent to which cancer patients live a qualitatively good life as long as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health decisions involve sharing information and making choices—even if the choice is to leave the decision to others. The way that information is delivered and understood by consumers across their cancer journey in turn influences the health decisions they take. A public health approach to the cancer journey considers the information needs of individuals and the structures and systems that facilitate the provision of credible and timely information. This paper examines emerging research that takes a public health approach to promote information-sharing and health decisions, identifies information-sharing mechanisms used by providers to facilitate shared decisions and evaluates decision support processes designed to improve information-sharing and self-care events. Evidence is presented to guide future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives. Cancer-related cognitive impairment has been acknowledged as a substantial limiting factor in quality of life among cancer patients and survivors. In addition to deficits on behavioral measures, abnormalities in neurologic structure and function have been reported. In this paper, we review findings from the literature on cognitive impairment and cancer, potential interventions, meditation and cognitive function, and meditation and cancer. In addition, we offer our hypotheses on how meditation practice may help to alleviate objective and subjective cognitive function, as well as the advantages of incorporating a meditation program into the treatment of cancer patients and survivors for cancer-related cognitive deficits. Findings. Various factors have been hypothesized to play a role in cancer-related cognitive impairment including chemotherapy, reduced hormone levels, proinflammatory immune response, fatigue, and distress. Pharmacotherapies such as methylphenidate or modafinil have been suggested to alleviate cognitive deficits. While initial reports suggest they are effective, some pharmacotherapies have side effects and may not relieve other symptoms associated with multimodal cancer treatment including sleep disturbance, nausea and pain. Several recent studies investigating the effects of meditation programs have reported behavioral and corresponding neurophysiological modulations that may be particularly effective in alleviating cancer-related cognitive impairment. Such programs also have been shown to reduce stress, fatigue, nausea and pain, and improve mood and sleep quality. Conclusions. With the increasing success of cancer treatment and the ability to return to previous family, social, and work activities, symptom management and quality of life are an essential part of survivorship. We propose that meditation may help to improve cancer-related cognitive dysfunction, alleviate other cancer-related sequelae, and should be fully investigated as an adjuvant to cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Due to the improved prognosis of many forms of cancer, an increasing number of cancer survivors are both willing and able to return to work after their treatment. This has increased interest in studying work and cancer-related issues. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of research on the impact of cancer on employment and work ability, on the effect of psychosocial factors on survivors' well-being, and to indicate research needs for the future. Results. Studies have shown that the majority of cancer survivors are able to continue working. There is, however, a group of cancer survivors who suffer from impaired health as a result of their illness, and this impairment sometimes leads to a decreased ability to work, or even disability. Employment and impaired work ability has most commonly been found to be associated with cancer type, type of treatment, health status, education and physical workload. The few studies that have focused on the effects of psychosocial factors in work life suggest that social support from occupational health services, and workplace accommodations for illness affect cancer survivors' return to work. Conclusions. More research is needed on the impact of social factors at work, which seem to play an important role in cancer survivors' ability to continue working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose. Fatigue is one of the most common and troubling symptoms in cancer survivors. In this paper we review information about cancer related fatigue in survivors of breast cancer and Hodgkin's disease, discuss some of the potential biological mechanisms for this problem in cancer survivors, and briefly discuss potential interventions. Findings. Cancer-related fatigue persists long after cancer treatments end, and is associated with more intensive treatments (combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy) in these cancers. Fatigue prior to the onset of treatment is a strong predictor of persistent fatigue. Studies in breast cancer survivors suggest elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in association with persistent fatigue, as well as abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Psychosocial and physical activity interventions have been shown in some studies to alleviate fatigue. Conclusions. Recognizing the syndrome of cancer-related fatigue is a high priority for the many cancer survivors who continue to experience this complaint as a chronic health problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with some of the musculo-skeletal complication that can occur after cancer treatment. In particular, we focus on Cancer Treatment Induced Bone Loss (CTIBL) and the musculo-skeletal complications that can occur in patients treated for extremity sarcoma. In addition we discuss peripheral neuropathy, musculo-skeletal pain and briefly mention some of the complications related to radiotherapy. CTIBL is mostly studied in breast cancer and prostate cancer survivors. The cause in these groups is mainly due to treatment induced hypogonadism. Other causes of CTIBL are indirect or direct cause of chemotherapy, physical inactivity and inadequate intake of vitamin D and calcium. Treatment of CTIBL consists of diet and lifestyle changes and pharmacological intervention. Extremity bone sarcomas constitute a special group since they often experience mutilating surgery and heavy combination chemotherapy. The treatment results in worse function than the normal population and the amputated usually have lower physical functioning than patients treated with limb sparing surgery (LSS). However, most studies fail to show differences in quality of life between the amputated and LSS. Most of the studies performed on musculo-skeletal sequelae have been done on survivors of childhood cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer. More studies among the other cancer groups are needed to reveal the extent and prevalence of these complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehabilitation of cancer patients include a broad range of activities aimed at information, counselling, advices on possible change of lifestyle and behaviour, psychological support, social welfare questions, ways of coping with side-effects of the anti-carcinogenic treatment given and additional treatment of numerous clinical problems. The change in the age distribution combined with the growing number of cancer survivors and the scarce economic resources allocated to 'after-treatment' clinical follow-up of cancer patients, even in the Scandinavian countries characterised by their public tax financed health system, emphasize the need for screening of rehabilitation needs among cancer patients. There is a need to identify patients in need for psychological and social intervention. However, this intervention among cancer patients in need has to be based on results achieved in clinical studies. This paper gives a brief introduction to the field of rehabilitation research and indicates a number of areas in which research would be of benefit for the clinical organisation of rehabilitation activities. These areas include the implication of social inequality, a characterisation of cancer patients who rehabilitate successfully, the gender perspective in rehabilitation, the age perspective, how to establish cancer disease specific rehabilitation modules, family and community aspects of rehabilitation, the dilemma between individual responsibility for lifestyle changes and feelings of guilt and the need for models which can determine the best timing of the intervention among cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes a comprehensive study of cancer survival in Sweden from 1960 to 1998. A total of 1 021 421 persons and 40 different cancer sites were included in the analyses. The main outcome measure is the relative survival rate (RSR) for different sites and follow-up times after diagnosis. The 10-year RSR for all sites combined has increased steadily--from 26.6% among men and 41.8% among women in the 1960s, to 44.6% (men) and 57.6% (women) in the 1990s. The expectation of life for a person diagnosed with cancer today is about 7 years longer than that of one diagnosed during the mid-1960s. About 3 years are gained due to changes in the relative distribution of various cancer types and about 4 years due to improved relative survival. During the 1990s substantial survival improvements were observed not only for uncommon types, such as testicular cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma and some other haematologic malignancies, but also for cancer of the rectum, kidney and malignant melanoma. Survival for breast and cervical cancer also improved during the 1990s, but not that for pancreatic, liver or lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and adjustment disorder (AjD) are common in hematological cancer patients as they face severe stressors during their serious disease and often intensive treatment, such as stem cell transplantation (SCT). Aims of the present study were to provide frequency and risk factors for PTSD and AjD based on updated diagnostic criteria that are lacking to date. In a cross-sectional study, hematological cancer patients were assessed for stressor-related symptoms via validated self-report questionnaires based on updated criteria for PTSD (PCL-5) and AjD (ADMN-20). Frequency and symptom severity were estimated among the total sample and SCT subgroups (allogeneic, autologous, no SCT). SCT subgroups were compared using Chi-squared-tests and ANOVAs. Linear regression models investigated sociodemographic and medical factors associated with symptomatology. In total, 291 patients were included (response rate: 58%). 26 (9.3%), 66 (23.7%) and 40 (14.2%) patients met criteria for cancer-related PTSD, subthreshold PTSD and AjD, respectively. Symptom severity and frequency of criteria-based PTSD and AjD did not differ between SCT subgroups (all p > 0.05). Factors associated with elevated symptomatology were younger age (PTSD: p < 0.001; AjD: p = 0.02), physical comorbidity (PTSD: p < 0.001; AjD: p < 0.001) and active disease (PTSD: p = 0.12; AjD: p = 0.03). Based on new criteria, a considerable part of hematological cancer patients reports PTSD and AjD symptoms. Younger patients and patients with physical symptom burden might be particularly at risk and need to be monitored closely to enable effective treatment at an early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on late complications and survival in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, particularly doxorubicin-based chemotherapy. Topics discussed include the incidence of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, other treatment-related late-onset adverse events, and survival outcomes in two different treatment groups.

The article focuses on the diagnosis of locally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LRC) in Nordic Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) centers and the feasibility of using the Odense-Birmingham definition for uniform diagnosis. Topics discussed include the variation in clinical practice for classifying LRC versus second primary carcinoma (SPC) and the impact of introducing the Odense-Birmingham definition on diagnostic decisions among HNC specialists.

Cancer treatment frequently results in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which is a side effect that is now neither properly preventable nor treatable. Physical therapy has been studied in this patient population and is frequently utilised for neurological rehabilitation after damage. This study set out to thoroughly review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of physical therapy for patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. From their beginning in January 2017 to January 2023, EMBASE, PubMed, Medline, PEDro, and the Cochrane Library were searched for pertinent RCTs. Additionally, manual search techniques were applied. On the basis of the inclusion criteria, two reviewers independently determined the study's eligibility. Reviewers evaluated the quality of the studies and took note of their methodologies, designs, interventions, outcomes, and conclusions. Ten RCTs met all inclusion criteria. Overall results are constrained by the variety of interventions and the small sample sizes of the included studies, which also indicate the need for more studies. Physical therapy has additional benefits for enhancing the quality of life of patients with peripheral neuropathy brought on by chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the incidence of grade ≥2 gastrointestinal (GI) or genitourinary (GU) toxicity for patients undergoing 3DRT versus IMRT in the postoperative setting for endometrial cancer. Eligible patients were post-operatively randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups in a 1:1 ratio, to have their RT delivered using either a 3DRT technique or using IMRT. The prescription dose was 45 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks followed by vaginal vault brachytherapy. Toxicity was graded according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version (v) 3.0. Fisher's exact tests were used to test for associations between toxicity and arm. Differences in dosimetric parameters for patients with or without toxicity were tested using Mann–Whitney U-tests. 84 patients with a median age of 62 were evaluable for primary outcome. The median follow-up was 52 months. 14 (35%) participants from the 3DRT arm and 15 (34%) from the IMRT arm experienced acute grade ≥2 GI toxicity with older patients having a statistically higher risk of grade ≥2 acute GI toxicity. 20 (50%) participants from the 3DRT arm and 25 (57%) from the IMRT arm experienced acute grade ≥2 GI or GU toxicity (p =.662). 12 (30%) patients from the 3DRT arm and 17 (39%) from the IMRT arm experienced acute grade ≥2 GU toxicity (p =.493). Although IMRT can reduce dose to normal tissue, in this study no benefit in acute GI or GU toxicity outcome was seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convincing results from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have led to increasing use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) as part of standard therapies in real-world (RW) scenarios. However, RW patients differ clinically from RCT populations and might have reduced long-term survival. Currently, only sparse data on 3-5-year survival rate for RW patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with ICI exist. A multicenter study was performed including 729 patients with advanced NSCLC receiving monotherapy with ICI (retrospective data (n = 566) and prospective data (n = 163)). Detailed baseline clinical characteristics, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS), and baseline haematological count were registered. Kaplan–Meier estimates and log-rank test were used for survival analyses, Cox regression for determination of prognostic factors. Median time of follow-up (FU) was 48.7 months (IQR 37.2–54.3). Median overall survival (OS) in first line treatment was 20.4 months (IQR 8.5–45.0) compared to 11.4 months (IQR 4.6–27.1) in ≥2nd line (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.25–1.75). Estimated probability of OS was 30% at 3 years, 23% at 4 years, and 13% at 5 years in first line compared to 17, 13, and 11% in ≥2nd line, respectively. For those with performance status (PS) 2, the 2-year OS rate was 32% (95% CI 0.22–0.43) compared to 5% (95% CI 0.01–0.15) in patients with PD-L1 ≥ 50% versus <50%, respectively. Compared to RCTs, long-term OS and PFS rates are lower in real-world patients treated with ICI in first line but much improved compared to historic rates on chemotherapy. A promising flattening of both the OS and progression free survival curves illustrates that also a subset of real-world patients obtain long-term remission. Patients with PS 2 and PD-L1 ≥ 50% may obtain clinically meaningful 2-year PFS and OS rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population-based survival results after radical cystectomy (RC) are limited. Our objective was to report short and long-term survival results after RC for bladder cancer from Finland in a population-based setting. The Finnish National Cystectomy Database containing retrospectively collected essential RC data covering the years 2005–2017 was combined with the survival data from the Finnish Cancer Registry. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to estimate survival and the survival graphs were illustrated according to the final pathological staging. Centers were divided according to operational volume, and the results were then compared using Pearsons's Chi-squared test. A total of 2047 patients were included in the study. 30-, and 90-day mortality was 1.3%, and 3.8%, respectively. The OS of the entire RC population at 5- and 10 years was 66% and 55%, and CSS was 74% and 72%, respectively. Center volume did not significantly associate with surgical mortality or long-term survival. The 5- and 10-year OS according to pT-category was 87% and 74% for pT0, 85% and 69% for pTa-pTis-pT1, 70% and 58% for pT2, 50% and 42% for pT3 and 41% and 30% for pT4. The corresponding 5- and 10-year CSS rates were 96% and 93% for pT0, 91% and 90% for pTa-pTis-pT1, 78% and 75% for pT2, 56% and 55% for pT3 and 47% and 44% for pT4. The 5- and 10-year OS rates in patients with no lymph node metastases (pN-) were 74% and 62%, and CSS 82% and 80%, respectively. If lymph nodes were positive (pN+), the corresponding OS rates were 44% and 34% and CSS 49% and 48%, respectively. RC survival results have improved in contemporary series and are associated with the pTNM-status. The nationwide results from Finland demonstrate outcome comparable to high volume single-center series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on evaluating the accuracy of Essential Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) staging for large colorectal cancers (T3/T4) when nodal status information is unavailable. Topics include the challenges in staging cancer cases, the reliance on Essential TNM guidelines when nodal status is missing, and the potential under-staging of T3/T4 tumors due to absent nodal information, despite the assumption that nodes are absent in such cases.

The article focuses on assessing severe pneumococcal disease risks in splenectomized Hodgkin lymphoma patients from 1973 to 1995 in Sweden. Topics include the historical context of splenectomy, varying prophylactic measures in different countries, and the decreasing incidence of severe pneumococcal infections in more recent decades among splenectomized patients in Sweden.

Given the scarcity of evidence concerning the long-term sexual health of breast cancer (BC) survivors (BC-Pop), we aimed to assess how BC treatments affect short- and long-term sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment, and body image, and compare with aged-matched women in the Norwegian general population (F-GenPop). The 349 patients in BC-Pop treated at Trondheim University Hospital in 2007–2014, were assessed in clinical controls at the hospital; before starting radiotherapy (T1, baseline), immediately after ending radiotherapy (T2), and after 3, 6, and 12 months (T3–T5), and at a long-term follow-up 7–12 years after baseline (T6). Meanwhile, F-GenPop included 2254 age-matched women in the Norwegian general population. The impact of BC treatment on sexual functioning was examined using a Linear Mixed Model. Sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment, and body image were assessed with the EORTC′s QLQ-BR23 scales and compared between the populations in the four age groups (30–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+ years) using means with 95% confidence intervals and Student t-test. Linear regression, adjusted for age and comorbidity was applied to estimate individual scores. BC survivors treated with mastectomy had overall lower sexual functioning than patients who had received breast-conserving surgery (p = 0.017). Although BC survivors treated with chemotherapy had lower sexual functioning than those treated without chemotherapy at T1–T5 (p = 0.044), both groups showed the same level of functioning at T6. BC-Pop exhibited significantly poorer sexual functioning (p < 0.001), lower sexual enjoyment (p < 0.05), and better body image (p < 0.001) than F-GenPop in all age groups. The impact of specific BC treatments on sexual functioning was modest; only mastectomy had a persistent negative influence. Nevertheless, all age groups in BC-Pop displayed significantly poorer sexual functioning than F-GenPop at both 12 months and up to 12 years after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testicular cancer survivors (TCS) are at risk of Leydig cell insufficiency, which is a condition characterized by elevated luteinising hormone (LH) in combination with low levels of testosterone. It has been suggested that this condition is associated with impaired metabolic profile and low bone mineral density (BMD). The primary aim of the randomized double-blind trial NCT02991209 was to evaluate metabolic profile after 12-months testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in TCS with mild Leydig cell insufficiency. Here we present the secondary outcomes of changes in BMD and markers of bone turnover. In total, 69 TCS with mild Leydig cell insufficiency were randomized 1:1 to 12 months TRT (n = 35) (Tostran, gel, 2%, applied transdermally, with a maximum daily dose of 40 mg) or placebo (n = 34). BMD and markers of bone turnover were evaluated at baseline, after 6- and 12-months TRT, and 3-months post-treatment. Linear mixed effects models were used to analyse changes in BMD, N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX). After 12 months treatment, TRT was not associated with a statistically significant difference in BMD compared to placebo; total body BMD: 0.01 g/cm2 (95% confidence interval (CI): −0.01 − 0.02), BMD of the lumbar spine: 0.01 g/cm2, (95% CI: −0.01–0.03), BMD of the left femoral neck: 0.00, (95% CI: −0.01–0.02). TRT was associated with a small but statistically significant increase in P1NP: 11.65 µg/L (95% CI: 3.96, 19.35), while there was no difference in CTX. 12 months of TRT did not change BMD, while there was as small and clinically irrelevant increase in P1NP compared to placebo in TCS with mild Leydig cell insufficiency. The findings need validation in a larger cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a post-hoc analysis of the iBLAD trial which investigated the association of patient-reported pain with survival in bladder cancer patients during and after oncological treatment. The study determined differences in age and follow-up time between male/female and locally advanced/metastatic patient groups using Mann-Whitney U test. It identified patient-reported symptoms, treatment outcomes and survival by disease stage, age, treatment and sex using Cox regression analysis.

Around 30% of cancer survivors suffer from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) ≥6 months after completion of chemotherapy, which comes with limitations in daily functioning and worsened quality of life(QoL). Treatment options are scarce. Our aim was to develop an online self-help intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to reduce pain interference in cancer survivors experiencing painful chronic CIPN. This article applied a patient-centered design process using the Center for eHealth Research (CeHRes) roadmap. User needs were examined using online semi-structured interviews with patients and experts (N = 23). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Personas were created based on interviews. Intervention content was based on identified user needs and ACT. Content and design were finalized using low-fidelity prototype testing (N = 5), and high-fidelity prototype testing (N = 7). Patients appreciated and agreed with the elements of ACT, had varying guidance needs, and wanted to have autonomy (e.g., moment and duration of use). Additionally, it was important to be aware that patients have had a life-threatening disease which directly relates to the symptoms they experience. Patients reported to prefer a user-friendly and accessible intervention. Similar points also emerged in the expert interviews. The final intervention, named Embrace Pain, includes six sessions. Session content is based on psychoeducation and all ACT processes. Further interpretation of the intervention (such as quotes, guidance, and multimedia choices) is based on the interviews. This development demonstrated how a patient-centered design process from a theoretical framework can be applied. Theory-driven content was used as the basis of the intervention. Findings show an online ACT intervention designed for cancer survivors with painful chronic CIPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose was to investigate the treatment flow of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) across treatment lines and adherence to guidelines (defined as trastuzumab, pertuzumab and chemotherapy first line, where 85% received vinorelbine as backbone and T-DM1 second line). Furthermore, we identified clinical markers to predict the risk of developing brain metastases. Patients with HER2-positive mBC, diagnosed between 01.01.2014–31.12.2019, registered in the database of the Danish Breast Cancer Group were included in this real-word study. Clinical follow-up was assessed until 01.10.2020 and complete follow-up for overall survival until 01.10.2021. Survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method with guidelines adherence analyzed as a time-varying covariate, and the risk of CNS metastasis was estimated by the cumulative incidence function. 631 patients were included. 329 (52%) patients followed the guidelines. The median OS for all patients was 42.3 months (95% Cl, 38.2–48.4), and significantly higher for the patients who followed guidelines; NA (95% CI, 78.2–NA). The median PFS for all patients was 13.4 months (95% Cl, 12.1–14.8), 6.6 (95% Cl, 5.8–7.6) and 5.8 (95% Cl, 4.9–6.9) for first, second and third line of treatment, respectively. Patients with ER-negative mBC had a higher risk of developing brain metastases and patients with high tumor burden had a higher risk of developing brain metastases with an adjusted HR of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.49–0.98), p = 0.047 and 2.69 (95% CI, 1.45–5.00), p = 0.002, respectively. We found that only half of the patients with HER2-positive mBC, received first and second-line treatment according to national guidelines. Patients receiving treatment according to guidelines had a significantly higher median OS compared to patients who did not. We also found that patients with ER-negative disease or high tumor burden had a significantly higher risk of developing brain metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We hypothesised that the use of the anti-androgenic drug 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) improves survival in patients with oesophago-gastric cancer. This nationwide Swedish population-based cohort study included men who underwent surgery for oesophageal or gastric cancer between 2006-2015, with follow-up until the end of 2020. Multivariable Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HR) for associations between 5-ARIs use and 5-year all-cause mortality (main outcome) and 5-year disease-specific mortality (secondary outcome). The HR was adjusted for age, comorbidity, education, calendar year, neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy, tumour stage, and resection margin status. Among 1769 patients with oesophago-gastric cancer, 64 (3.6%) were users of 5-ARIs. Compared to non-users, users of 5-ARIs were not at any decreased risk of 5-year all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.79-1.63) or 5-year disease-specific mortality (adjusted HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.79-1.52). Use of 5-ARIs was not associated with any decreased risk of 5-year all-cause mortality in subgroup analyses stratified by categories of age, comorbidity, tumour stage, or tumour subtype (oesophageal or cardia adenocarcinoma, non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma, or oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma). This study did not support the hypothesis of improved survival among users of 5-ARIs after curatively intended treatment for oesophago-gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After primary treatment, patients with early breast cancer (EBC) are followed-up for at least 5 years. At the Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) surveillance includes appointments at 1, 3 and 5 years, and between pre-planned visits a phone call service operated by a nurse practitioner for counseling about symptoms related to side-effects or potential recurrence. In 2015 HUS launched a digital solution for cancer patients. This study was designed to find out patient preference, Health related (HR) quality of life (QOL) and satisfaction with a digital solution compared to a phone call service during the first year of follow-up. Patients with EBC were randomized at the final visit of radiotherapy to surveillance by phone calls or by the digital Noona solution during the first year outside pre-planned visits. After six months the groups were crossed over to the other arm. Primary endpoint was patient preference for either follow-up method among those who had contacted the study nurse at least once by both phone service and digital solution. Out of the 765 patients randomized, 142 had contacted the hospital with both methods and were eligible for inclusion in the analyses of the present study. Out of the 142 patients, 56 preferred phone calls, 43 the digital solution while 43 considered both modalities equal. Preference for the digital solution was higher among patients aged 65 or less. There were no differences in HR QoL or overall satisfaction between the modalities. However, the patients rated the timeliness of response better while using the digital solution. Of the patients 30% preferred the digital solution, 40% phone calls while 30% found them equal as the primary follow-up method for EBC during the first year outside pre-planned visits. There is a need to include also digital solutions in surveillance of EBC. NCT04980989 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Decision making regarding cancer treatment is challenging and there is a need for clinical parameters that can guide these decisions. As physical performance appears to be a reflection of health status, the aim of this systematic review is to assess whether physical performance tests (PPTs) are predictive of the clinical outcome and treatment tolerance in cancer patients. Methods:A literature search was conducted on 2 April 2015 in the electronic databases Medline and Embase to identify studies focusing on the association between objectively measured PPTs and outcome. No limitations in language or publication dates were applied. Results:The search retrieved 9680 articles, 16 publications were included involving 4187 patients with various cancer types and different treatments. Reported median or mean age varied from 58 to 78 years. Nine studies used the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, five the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and five studies focused on gait speed. Poorer TUG, SPPB and gait speed outcome were associated with decreased survival. TUG, SPPB and gait speed were also associated with treatment-related complications. Furthermore, two studies reported an association between poorer TUG and SPPB outcome with higher rates of functional decline. Conclusion:PPTs appear to show a significant correlation with survival and these tests could be used as a prognostic tool, particular for older adult patients. A less explicit correlation for treatment-related complications and functional decline was also found. To optimize decision making, future research should focus on developing and validating individualized treatment algorithms that incorporate PPTs in addition to cancer- and treatment-related variables. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To investigate the pathological complete response (pCR) achieved after neoadjuvant therapy with versus without adding pertuzumab (P) to trastuzumab (H) plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in HER2+ breast cancer (BC) patients in a real-life setting. A total of 1528 female HER2+ BC patients who received NCT plus H with or without P were included in this retrospective real-life study. Primary endpoint was pCR rate (ypT0/Tis ypN0). Clinicopathological characteristics, event-free survival (EFS) time, and relapse rates were evaluated with respect to HER2 blockade (NCT-H vs. NCT-HP) and pCR. Overall, 62.2% of patients received NCT-H and 37.8% received NCT-HP. NCT-HP was associated with a significantly higher pCR rate (66.4 vs. 56.8%, p < 0.001) and lower relapse (4.5 vs. 12.2%, p < 0.001) in comparison to NCT-H. Patients with pCR had a significantly lower relapse (5.6 vs. 14.9%, p < 0.001) and longer EFS time (mean(SE) 111.2(1.9) vs. 93.9(2.7) months, p < 0.001) compared to patients with non-pCR. Patients in the NCT-HP group were more likely to receive docetaxel (75.0 vs. 40.6%, p < 0.001), while those with pCR were more likely to receive paclitaxel (50.2 vs. 40.7%, p < 0.001) and NCT-HP (41.5 vs. 32.1%, p < 0.001). Hormone receptor status and breast conservation rates were similar in NCT-HP vs. NCT-H groups and in patients with vs. without pCR. Invasive ductal carcinoma (OR, 2.669, 95% CI 1.596 to 4.464, p < 0.001), lower histological grade of the tumor (OR, 4.052, 95% CI 2.446 to 6.713, p < 0.001 for grade 2 and OR, 3.496, 95% CI 2.020 to 6.053, p < 0.001 for grade 3), lower T stage (OR, 1.959, 95% CI 1.411 to 2.720, p < 0.001) and paclitaxel (vs. docetaxel, OR, 1.571, 95% CI 1.127 to 2.190, p = 0.008) significantly predicted the pCR. This real-life study indicates that adding P to NCT-H enables higher pCR than NCT-H in HER2+ BC, while pCR was associated with lower relapse and better EFS time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance is a critical cause of metabolic dysfunctions. Metabolic dysfunction is common in patients with cancer and is associated with higher cancer recurrence rates and reduced overall survival. Yet, insulin resistance is rarely considered in the clinic and thus it is uncertain how frequently this condition occurs in patients with cancer. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis guided by the Preferred Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. We included studies assessing insulin resistance in patients with various cancer diagnoses, using the gold-standard hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp method. Studies eligible for inclusion were as follows: (1) included cancer patients older than 18 years of age; (2) included an age-matched control group consisting of individuals without cancer or other types of neoplasms; (3) measured insulin sensitivity using the hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp method. We searched the databases MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for articles published from database inception through March 2023 with no language restriction, supplemented by backward and forward citation searching. Bias was assessed using funnel plot. Fifteen studies satisfied the criteria. The mean insulin-stimulated rate of glucose disposal (Rd) was 7.5 mg/kg/min in control subjects (n = 154), and 4.7 mg/kg/min in patients with a cancer diagnosis (n = 187). Thus, the Rd mean difference was −2.61 mg/kg/min [95% confidence interval, −3.04; −2.19], p<.01). Heterogeneity among the included studies was insignificant (p=.24). These findings suggest that patients with a cancer diagnosis are markedly insulin resistant. As metabolic dysfunction in patients with cancer associates with increased recurrence and reduced overall survival, future studies should address if ameliorating insulin resistance in this population can improve these outcomes thereby improving patient care. Metabolic dysfunction increases cancer recurrence rates and reduces survival for patients with cancer. Insulin resistance is a critical cause of metabolic dysfunctions. To date, no comprehensive compilation of research investigating insulin resistance in cancer patients has been produced. In this meta-analysis, we found that patients with various cancers were markedly insulin-resistant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stage at diagnosis is one of the most important predictors for cancer survival. TNM stage is constructed from T (tumor size), N (nodal spread), and M (distant metastasis) components. In many notifications to cancer registries, TNM information is incomplete with unknown N and/or M. We aimed to evaluate the influence of various assumptions for recoding missing N (NX) and M (MX) as N0 and M0 on the proportion with available TNM stage, stage-distribution, and stage-specific relative survival. We identified 140,201 patients diagnosed with incident cancer of the colon, rectum, lung, breast, or kidney during 2014–2016 in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, or Iceland. Information on TNM were obtained from cancer registry records used for an update of the Nordic cancer statistics database NORDCAN. Patients were followed for death or emigration through 2017. We calculated proportions of available TNM stage, stage distribution, and stage-specific relative survival under different approaches for each cancer site and country. Application of the assumptions yielded higher numbers of cases with available TNM stage for stages 0–I, II, and III. We observed only minor differences in stage-specific one-year relative survival when applying N0M0 for missing N and M, especially for high completeness of TNM registrations, whereas relative survival for remaining cases with missing TNM stage declined substantially. We found no major changes in stage-specific one-year relative survival applying N0M0 for NXMX. We conclude that complete TNM information is preferable to making assumptions, but it seems reasonable to consider assuming N0M0 for missing N and M in future studies based on the Nordic cancer registries. An automatic algorithm, though, is not recommended without considering potential area-specific reasons for frequent use of NX and MX. Clinicians should be urged to report complete TNM information to improve surveillance of the TNM stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 'Trials-within-Cohorts' (TwiCs), previously known as 'cohort multiple randomized controlled trials' is a pragmatic trial design, supporting an efficient and representative recruitment of patients for (future) trials. To our knowledge, the 'COhort for Lung cancer Outcome Reporting and trial inclusion' (COLOR) is the first TwiCs in lung cancer patients. In this study we aimed to assess the feasibility and first year results of COLOR. Material and Methods: All patients diagnosed with lung cancer referred to the Radiotherapy department were eligible to participate in the ongoing prospective COLOR study. At inclusion, written informed consent was requested for use of patient data, participation in patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and willingness to participate in (future) trials. Feasibility was studied by assessing participation and comparing baseline PROs to EORTC reference values. First-year results of PROs at baseline and 3 months after inclusion were evaluated separately for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and conventional radiotherapy patients. Results: Of the 338 eligible patients between July 2020 and July 2021, 169 (50%) participated. Among these, 127 (75%) gave informed consent to PROs participation and 110 (65%) were willing to participate in (future) trials. The inclusion percentage dropped from 77% to 33% when the information procedure was switched from in-person to by phone (due to COVID-19 pandemic measures). Baseline PROs for physical and cognitive functioning were comparable in COLOR patients compared to the EORTC reference values. No significant changes in PROs were observed 3 months after inclusion, except for a slight increase in pain scores in the SBRT group (n = 97). Conclusions: The TwiCs-design appears feasible in lung cancer patients with fair participation rates (although negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic). With a planned expansion to other centers, the COLOR-study is expected to enable multiple (randomized) evaluations of experimental interventions with important advantages for recruitment, generalizability, and long-term outcome data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irradiation of sub-regions of the parotid has been linked to xerostomia development in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). In this study, we compared the xerostomia classification performance of radiomics features calculated on clinically relevant and de novo sub-regions of the parotid glands of HNC patients. All patients (N = 117) were treated with TomoTherapy in 30–35 fractions of 2–2.167 Gy per fraction with daily mega-voltage-CT (MVCT) acquisition for image-guidance purposes. Radiomics features (N = 123) were extracted from daily MVCTs for the whole parotid gland and nine sub-regions. The changes in feature values after each complete week of treatment were considered as predictors of xerostomia (CTCAEv4.03, grade ≥ 2) at 6 and 12 months. Combinations of predictors were generated following the removal of statistically redundant information and stepwise selection. The classification performance of the logistic regression models was evaluated on train and test sets of patients using the Area Under the Curve (AUC) associated with the different sub-regions at each week of treatment and benchmarked with the performance of models solely using dose and toxicity at baseline. In this study, radiomics-based models predicted xerostomia better than standard clinical predictors. Models combining dose to the parotid and xerostomia scores at baseline yielded an AUCtest of 0.63 and 0.61 for xerostomia prediction at 6 and 12 months after radiotherapy while models based on radiomics features extracted from the whole parotid yielded a maximum AUCtest of 0.67 and 0.75, respectively. Overall, across sub-regions, maximum AUCtest was 0.76 and 0.80 for xerostomia prediction at 6 and 12 months. Within the first two weeks of treatment, the cranial part of the parotid systematically yielded the highest AUCtest. Our results indicate that variations of radiomics features calculated on sub-regions of the parotid glands can lead to earlier and improved prediction of xerostomia in HNC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post radiation mucosal ulcers (PRMU) after treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) can have a huge negative impact on patients' quality of life, but little is known concerning risk factors and the impact of fraction size. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the pattern of PRMU development and to identify risk factors after a hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy boost (SBRT) compared to conventionally fractionated radiotherapy for OPSCC. We performed a retrospective cohort study (N = 332) of OPSCC patients with ≥ 1-year disease-free survival, treated with 46 Gy Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) (2 Gy fractions) followed by either an SBRT boost of 16.5 Gy (5.5 Gy fractions) (N = 180), or 24 Gy IMRT (2 Gy fractions) (N = 152). PRMU (grade ≥ 2) was scored when observed > three months after the last radiotherapy (RT) fraction (CTCAE v5.0). Potential risk factors were analyzed with Cox regression models using death as competing risk. Dose at the PRMU site was calculated by projecting delineated PRMU on the planning CT. All cases of PRMU (N = 64) occurred within 24 months; all were grade 2. The cumulative incidence at 2 years in the SBRT boost group was 26% (N = 46) vs. 12% (N = 18) for conventional fractionation (p = 0.003). Most PRMU developed within nine months (N = 48). PRMU occurring > nine months (N = 16) were mainly observed in the SBRT boost group (N = 15). Sex (p = 0.048), acute tube feeding (p = < 0.001), tumor subsite tonsil (p = 0.001), and N stage (p = 0.017) were associated with PRMU risk at multivariable regression in the hypofractionated SBRT boost group. All 25 delineated PRMU were located within the high dose regions. The risk of PRMU should be included in the cost benefit analysis when considering future research using a hypofractionated SBRT boost for OPSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the World Health Organization declared the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SAR-CoV-2) a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Topics include examines although children with COVID-19 infection generally present with mild form of the disease oncology patients are considered at increased risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Osimertinib is a recently approved third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) that selectively inhibits both EGFR-TKI-sensitizing and EGFR-T790M resistance mutations. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy and safety of osimertinib for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Databases were searched for randomized controlled studies that reported the efficacy and safety of osimertinib versus other treatments (chemotherapy, other EGFR-TKIs, etc.) in treating EGFR-mutated NSCLC. The measured effects included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), central nervous system progression-free survival (CNS-PFS), and overall survival (OS). Additional outcome was the incidence of adverse event. Relative risk (RR) for incidence and hazard ratio (HR) for survival outcomes were pooled. Seven studies containing 3335 participants were finally included. Osimertinib tended to improve ORR and DCR (RRs >1) as compared with other treatments. Osimertinib was also a significant protective factor for PFS, CNS-PFS, and OS (HRs <1 and p <.05). Osimertinib showed similar advantages in improving tumor response and patient survival when used as first-line, second-line, and third-line/adjuvant therapy, respectively, as compared with other treatments (RRs >1 for ORR and DCR; HRs <1 for PFS, CNS-PFS, and OS). Osimertinib also had better therapeutic effects as compared with chemotherapy, other EGFR TKIs, docetaxel + bevacizumab, and placebo, respectively. The five most common adverse events with pooled incidence > 20% were diarrhea, rash, nail effects, dry skin, and stomatitis, yet the pooled incidence of serious adverse events was less than 2%. This meta-analysis suggests that osimertinib has a positive effect in disease control and survival for patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC with acceptable toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]