Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for radiation associated angiosarcoma (RAAS) of the breast: A retrospective single center study.

Background: Radiation associated angiosarcoma (RAAS) of the breast is a rare malignancy with poor survival. Optimal treatment strategies remain uncertain due to a lack of data, and vary between surgery alone and a combination of surgery with (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and/or re-irradiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential benefit of taxane based NACT.

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy may improve radioembolization treatment planning in HCC patients.

Background: Routine work-up for transarterial radioembolization, based on clinical and laboratory parameters, sometimes fails, resulting in severe hepatotoxicity in up to 5% of patients. Quantitative assessment of the pretreatment liver function and its segmental distribution, using hepatobiliary scintigraphy may improve patient selection and treatment planning. A case series will be presented to illustrate the potential of this technique.

Enhancing antitumor efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T cells through constitutive CD40L expression.

Adoptive cell therapy with genetically modified T cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) is a promising therapy for patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, CAR-modified T cells (CAR T cells) have mostly failed in patients with solid tumors or low-grade B-cell malignancies including chronic lymphocytic leukemia with bulky lymph node involvement. Herein, we enhance the antitumor efficacy of CAR T cells through the constitutive expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L, CD154).

Intra-arterial radioembolization of breast cancer liver metastases: a structured review.

Radioembolization using yttrium-90 microspheres (⁹⁰Y-RE) is an emerging treatment option for breast cancer liver metastases (BCLM) patients if other locoregional and systemic treatment options fail. The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic overview of the current literature concerning ⁹⁰Y-RE for BCLM patients. A systematic search for relevant articles was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library (January 2012) by combining an extensive list of synonyms for the determinants 'radioembolization', 'yttrium-90' and 'microsphere' with synonyms for the domain 'liver'.

Evolution of the ablation region after magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation in a Vx2 tumor model.

Objectives: Volumetric magnetic resonance (MR)-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a completely noninvasive image-guided thermal ablation technique. Recently, there has been growing interest in the use of MR-HIFU for noninvasive ablation of malignant tumors. Of particular interest for noninvasive ablation of malignant tumors is reliable treatment monitoring and evaluation of response.

Transarterial radioembolization versus chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (TRACE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a primary malignant tumor of the liver that accounts for an important health problem worldwide. Only 10 to 15% of hepatocellular carcinoma patients are suitable candidates for treatment with curative intent, such as hepatic resection and liver transplantation. A majority of patients have locally advanced, liver restricted disease (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system intermediate stage).

Trans-arterial (90)yttrium radioembolization for patients with unresectable tumors originating from the biliary tree.

Patients with malignant tumors originating from the biliary tree have a poor prognosis, since only a minority of tumors can be resected and most palliative regimens have shown only limited success. We present two patients with unresectable tumors, who were treated with trans-arterial (90)yttrium radioembolization: a patient with an infiltrating gallbladder carcinoma and a patient with an extensive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. In both cases the treatment was technically feasible, effective in controlling tumor growth, and without significant side effects.

Minimally invasive image-guided therapy for inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma: What is the evidence today?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignant tumor of the liver that accounts for an important health problem worldwide. Only 10-15% of HCC patients are suitable candidates for hepatic resection and liver transplantation due to the advanced stage of the disease at time of diagnosis and shortage of donors. Therefore, several minimally invasive image-guided therapies for locoregional treatment have been developed.