Pseudoprogression and Mixed Responses in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated With Nivolumab: A Retrospective Analysis.

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are part of the current standard of care for metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (m-ccRCC). ICI can elicit diverse tumor response, including atypical responses such as pseudoprogression (psPD), mixed responses (MR) and late responses. We aimed to analyze the occurrence and prognostic impact of atypical responses in m-ccRCC patients treated with nivolumab.

Overall survival improvement in patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma between 2000 and 2020: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Only a few recent phase III trials with targeted therapies or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (m-ccRCC) demonstrated an overall survival (OS) benefit compared to standard of care. We aimed to study the evolution of OS since the start of systemic therapy from 2000 to 2020.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective study on all consecutively treated m-ccRCC patients in three Belgian hospitals starting with systemic therapy.

Bone metastasis is associated with poor prognosis in metastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma patients treated with first agent angiogenesis inhibitors.

Objective: Papillary renal cell carcinoma (papRCC) is a rare (10%-15%) subtype of renal cancer. Few prognostic biomarkers have been described in metastatic papRCC (m-papRCC) patients treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs). We aimed to study the prognostic impact of bone metastases (BM) on response rate, progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS) in patients with m-papRCC treated with first agent VEGFR-TKIs.

Real-world use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in ambulatory breast cancer patients: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To prevent febrile neutropenia (FN), European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) guidelines recommend primary prophylaxis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (PPG) for patients at high risk (≥ 20%) of FN. In Belgium, the use of PPG is restricted by specific reimbursement criteria. The impact of these criteria on PPG use and adherence to guidelines is unknown.

Tamoxifen Metabolism and Efficacy in Breast Cancer: A Prospective Multicenter Trial.

Levels of endoxifen, the most active metabolite of tamoxifen, vary by the highly polymorphic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 enzyme. We prospectively investigated tamoxifen efficacy by serum endoxifen levels and the tamoxifen activity score (TAS). A prospective observational multicenter study included postmenopausal women with an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer receiving first-line tamoxifen, 20 mg daily in the neoadjuvant or metastatic setting, recruited between February 2009 and May 2014.

Which Factors Predict Overall Survival in Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Treated With Abiraterone Acetate Post-Docetaxel?

Background: Abiraterone acetate (AA) increases overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) previously treated with docetaxel. However, survival time varies substantially between individuals. Our goal was to identify prognostic factors that better estimate OS.

Abiraterone acetate post-docetaxel for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the Belgian compassionate use program.

Background: Abiraterone acetate (AA) is licensed for treating metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Real-world data on oncological outcome after AA are scarce. The current study assesses efficacy and safety of AA in mCRPC patients previously treated with docetaxel who started treatment during the Belgian compassionate use program (January 2011-July 2012).

Adequate iron chelation therapy for at least six months improves survival in transfusion-dependent patients with lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

Background: Most patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) require transfusions at the risk of iron overload and associated organ damage, and death. Emerging evidence indicates that iron chelation therapy (ICT) could reduce mortality and improve survival in transfusion-dependent MDS patients, especially those classified as International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) Low or Intermediate-1 (Low/Int-1).

Methods: Follow-up of a retrospective study.

Weekly paclitaxel versus weekly docetaxel in elderly or frail patients with metastatic breast carcinoma: a randomized phase-II study of the Belgian Society of Medical Oncology.

This randomized phase-II trial investigated the efficacy and tolerability of weekly docetaxel or paclitaxel in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients considered unfit for a 3-weekly therapy. The primary study endpoint was antitumor activity, the second endpoint was tolerability, time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). In intent-to-treat analysis, we observed for paclitaxel and docetaxel respectively partial response (PR) in 48% versus 38%, stable disease (SD) in 24% versus 16%, PD in 15% versus 30%.

Transfusion-induced serum sickness.

Background: Transfusion-induced serum sickness reactions are rarely reported in the literature. The Type III hypersensitivity reaction to heterologous proteins involves deposition of complement and immune complexes in small vessel walls resulting in a leukocytoclastic vasculitis. A case of a multiply transfused patient with several episodes of serum sickness reactions is presented.

Detection of micrometastatic disease and monitoring of perioperative tumor cell dissemination in primary operable breast cancer patients using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR.

Purpose: We previously found a statistically significant number of cytokeratin 19 (CK19)+ cells in peripheral blood (PB) of stage IV breast cancer (BC) patients compared with those of healthy volunteers, using a quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR. We aimed to apply the technique on bone marrow (BM) of primary operable BC patients. Pre- and postoperative PB samples of these patients were further analyzed to investigate possible shedding of CK19+ cells during the operation.