Ex vivo 3D micro-tumour testing platform for predicting clinical response to platinum-based therapy in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Around 20% of patients with primary high-grade ovarian cancer do not respond to chemotherapy, but predictive biomarkers are lacking. The purpose of the current study is to establish and clinically validate an ex vivo 3D micro-tumour testing platform that predicts patient-specific response to standard of care chemotherapy. 104 ovarian cancer patients with malignant ascites were included in the study.

Outcomes and Feasibility of an Occupational Care Programme (TERRA) to Support Work Ability of Rare and Advanced Cancer Patients: A Report of 7 Cases.

Introduction: Advancements in the field of oncology are allowing patients to live longer, with enhanced quality of life (QoL). Accordingly, more patients with cancer are expressing the desire to return to work (RTW). Previous research has indicated that patients with a rare or advanced cancer can experience unique problems in the RTW process.

[Nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy: an ongoing problem for patients].

Despite advances in the prevention and management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), these side effects remain among the most distressing for patients. We discuss the systematic review and meta-analysis by Patel et al (2022) evaluating effective and safe interventions to prevent acute phase CINV in adult and pediatric patients. With the advent of newer antiemetics during the last few decades, the incidence of CINV has improved especially for patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

Experiences and perspectives of patients with advanced cancer regarding work resumption and work retention: a qualitative interview study.

Purpose: Being able to work improves the quality of life of patients with cancer. Much is known about the return to work process of cancer survivors. Yet, studies focusing on the experiences of patients with advanced cancer who want to return to work or stay employed are scarce.

Quality of integrated female oncofertility care is suboptimal: A patient-reported measurement.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines recommend to inform female cancer patients about their infertility risks due to cancer treatment. Unfortunately, it seems that guideline adherence is suboptimal. In order to improve quality of integrated female oncofertility care, a systematic assessment of current practice is necessary.

The Impact of Palliative Care Team Consultation on Quality of Life of Patients with Advanced Cancer in Dutch Hospitals: An Observational Study.

Introduction: Experimental studies have shown that palliative care team (PCT) involvement can improve quality of life (QoL) and symptom burden of patients with advanced cancer. It is unclear to what extent this effect is sustained in daily practice of hospital care.

Objective: This observational study aims to investigate the effect of PCT consultation on QoL and symptom burden of hospitalized patients with advanced cancer in daily practice.

Olanzapine Versus Haloperidol for Treatment of Delirium in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Treatment of delirium often includes haloperidol. Second-generation antipsychotics like olanzapine have emerged as an alternative with possibly fewer side effects. The aim of this multicenter, phase III, randomized clinical trial was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of olanzapine with haloperidol for the treatment of delirium in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.

Incidence and risk factors for acute kidney injury in head and neck cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation with high-dose cisplatin.

Background: Three-weekly high-dose cisplatin (100 mg/m) is considered the standard systemic regimen given concurrently with postoperative or definitive radiotherapy in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN). Concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) with high-dose cisplatin is associated with significant acute and late toxicities, including acute kidney injury (AKI). The aims of this study were to investigate the incidence of AKI in patients with LA-SCCHN during and after treatment with high-dose cisplatin-based CRT, to identify risk factors for cisplatin-induced AKI, and to describe the impact of AKI on long-term renal function and treatment outcomes.

Screening and Stepped Care Targeting Psychological Distress in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The TES Cluster Randomized Trial.

Background: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a screening and stepped care program (the TES program) in reducing psychological distress compared with care as usual (CAU) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer starting with first-line systemic palliative treatment.

Patients And Methods: In this cluster randomized trial, 16 hospitals were assigned to the TES program or CAU. Patients in the TES arm were screened for psychological distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Distress Thermometer/Problem List (at baseline and 10 and 18 weeks).

Optimal treatment of opioid induced constipation in daily clinical practice - an observational study.

Background: Opioids are prescribed in over 40% of patients with advanced cancer, but side effects occur frequently. In this study we evaluated the development and treatment of opioid induced constipation (OIC), and OIC resolving effect of methylnaltrexone for different opioid subtypes in daily clinical practice.

Methods: Patients with cancer using opioids were included in a retrospective chart analysis.

Accuracy of the Delirium Observational Screening Scale (DOS) as a screening tool for delirium in patients with advanced cancer.

Background: The Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOS) was developed to facilitate early recognition of delirium by nurses during routine clinical care. It has shown good validity in a variety of patient populations, but has not yet been validated in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer, although the DOS is commonly used in this setting in daily practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the DOS in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer using the revised version of the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-R) as the gold standard.

Identification of patients with cancer with a high risk to develop delirium.

Delirium deteriorates the quality of life in patients with cancer, but is frequently underdiagnosed and not adequately treated. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of delirium and its risk factors in patients admitted to the hospital for treatment or palliative care in order to develop a prediction model to identify patients at high risk for delirium. In a period of 1.

Muscle mass as a target to reduce fatigue in patients with advanced cancer.

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) reduces quality of life and the activity level of patients with cancer. Cancer related fatigue can be reduced by exercise interventions that may concurrently increase muscle mass. We hypothesized that low muscle mass is directly related to higher CRF.

Radiofrequency Ablation to Improve Survival After Conversion Chemotherapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases.

Introduction: Systemic chemotherapy is able to convert colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) that are initially unsuitable for local treatment into locally treatable disease. Surgical resection further improves survival in these patients. Our aim was to evaluate disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival, and morbidity for patients with CRLM treated with RFA following effective downstaging by chemotherapy, and to identify factors associated with recurrence and survival.

Prophylactic treatment for delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting after non-AC based moderately emetogenic chemotherapy: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: Delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains an important adverse effect of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy not containing anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide (non-AC MEC). In this review, we summarize current literature to update recommendations for delayed CINV prophylaxis after non-AC MEC.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed and conference proceedings from ASCO, ESMO, and MASCC.

Patients' preferences for participation in treatment decision-making at the end of life: qualitative interviews with advanced cancer patients.

Purpose: Patients are often encouraged to participate in treatment decision-making. Most studies on this subject focus on choosing between different curative treatment types. In the last phase of life treatment decisions differ as they often put more emphasis on weighing quantity against quality of life, such as whether or not to start treatment aimed at life prolongation but with the possibility of side effects.

Aiming for a better understanding and management of cancer-related fatigue.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a serious symptom of patients with cancer and deteriorates their daily quality of life. Whereas fatigue is a common problem in the general population, with a prevalence of about 30%, up to 99% of patients with cancer have fatigue of more intense severity. CRF is directly related to the biology of cancer, but it can also be caused by anticancer treatment.

Aberrant immunophenotype of blasts in myelodysplastic syndromes is a clinically relevant biomarker in predicting response to growth factor treatment.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal disorders of the bone marrow characterized by peripheral cytopenias. Standard treatment in low- and intermediate-I-risk MDS is supportive therapy consisting of regular transfusions and growth factors, that is, erythropoietin (Epo) and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Because flow cytometric analysis of MDS bone marrow samples can identify clinically relevant subgroups regarding transfusion dependency and disease progression, we addressed the question whether flow cytometry (FCM) was instrumental in predicting response.