Underlying Bias in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Minorities Treated at the Same Facilities are Less Likely to Receive Neoadjuvant Therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To identify disparities in access to NAT for PDAC at the prehospital and intrahospital phases of care. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Delivery of NAT in PDAC is susceptible to disparities in access. There are limited data that accurately locate the etiology of disparities at the prehospital and intrahospital phases of care. METHODS: Retrospective cohort of patients ≥18 years old with clinical stage I-II PDAC from the 2010-2016 National Cancer Database. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess 2 sequential outcomes: (1) access to an NAT facility (prehospital phase) and (2) receipt of NAT at an NAT facility (intrahospital phase). RESULTS: A total of 36,208 patients were included for analysis in the prehospital phase of care. Higher education, longer travel distances, being treated at academic/research or integrated network cancer programs, and more recent year of diagnosis were independently associated with receipt of treatment at an NAT facility. All patients treated at NAT facilities (31,099) were included for the second analysis. Higher education level and receiving care at an academic/research facility were independently associated with increased receipt of NAT. NonBlack racial minorities (including American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islanders), being Hispanic, being uninsured, and having Medicaid insurance were associated with decreased receipt of NAT at NAT facilities. CONCLUSIONS: Non-Black racial minorities and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive NAT at NAT facilities compared to White and non-Hispanic patients, respectively. Discrepancies in administration of NAT while being treated at NAT facilities exist and warrant urgent further investigation.

Feasibility, Safety, and Efficacy of Aggressive Multimodal Management of Elderly Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of NAT followed by surgical resection in patients with PDAC aged ≥75 years. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Whether administration of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) followed by surgical resection in elderly patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is safe and effective is unknown. METHODS: The present study is a three-part comparison of older (≥ 75 years) versus younger (< 75 years) patients in different settings throughout the continuum of PDAC care. The first analysis was a comparison of older versus younger consecutive patients with non-metastatic PDAC who were initiated on FOLFIRINOX. The second was a comparison of older vs. younger patients who underwent NAT followed by surgical resection, and the third and final analysis was a comparison of older patients who underwent either NAT followed by surgical resection vs. upfront surgical resection. Postoperative complications, overall survival (OS), and time to recurrence (TTR), were compared. Propensity-score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounders. RESULTS: In the first analysis, a lower proportion of older patients (n=40) were able to complete the intended neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX (8) cycles compared to younger patients (n=214) (65.0% vs. 81.4%, P=0.021). However, older patients were just as likely to undergo surgical exploration as younger patients (77.5% vs 78.5%, P=0.89) as well as surgical resection (57.5% vs 55.6%, P=0.70). In the second analysis, PSM was conducted to compare older (n=54) vs. younger patients (n=54) who underwent NAT followed by surgical resection. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications between the matched groups. While there was a significant difference in overall survival (OS) between older and younger patients (median OS: 16.43 months vs. 30.83 months, P=0.002), importantly, there was no significant difference in time to recurrence (TTR, median: 7.65 months vs. 11.83 months, P=0.215). In the third analysis, older patients who underwent NAT followed by surgical resection (n=48) were compared with similar older patients who underwent upfront surgical resection (n=48). After PSM, there was a significant difference in OS (median OS: 15.78 months vs. 11.51 months, P=0.037) as well as TTR (median TTR: 8.81 months vs. 7.10 months, P=0.046) representing an association with improved outcomes that favored the neoadjuvant approach among older patients alone. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive three-part study showed that administration of NAT followed by surgical resection appears to be safe and effective among patients ≥ 75 years of age. An aggressive approach should be offered to older adults undergoing multimodal treatment of PDAC.

Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET/MRI) Versus the Standard of Care Imaging in the Diagnosis of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the standard of care imaging (SCI) for the diagnosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) in primary abdominopelvic malignancies. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Identifying PC impacts prognosis and management of multiple cancer types. METHODS: Adult subjects were prospectively and consecutively enrolled from April 2019 to January 2021. Inclusion criteria were: 1) acquisition of whole-body contrast-enhanced (CE) 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/MRI, 2) pathologically confirmed primary abdominopelvic malignancies. Exclusion criteria were: 1) greater than 4 weeks interval between SCI and PET/MRI, 2) unavailable follow-up. SCI consisted of whole-body CE PET/computed tomography (CT) with diagnostic quality CT, and/or CE-CT of the abdomen and pelvis, and/or CE-MRI of the abdomen±pelvis. If available, pathology or surgical findings served as the reference standard, otherwise, imaging followup was used. When SCI and PET/MRI results disagreed, medical records were checked for management changes. Follow-up data were collected until August 2021. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-four subjects were included, 85 (52%) were female, and the median age was 60 years (interquartile range 50-69). At a subject level, PET/MRI had higher sensitivity (0.97, 95% CI 0.86-1.00) than SCI (0.54, 95% CI 0.37-0.71), P < 0.001, without a difference in specificity, of 0.95 (95% CI 0.90-0.98) for PET/MRI and 0.98 (95% CI 0.93-1.00) for SCI, P » 0.250. PET/MRI and SCI results disagreed in 19 cases. In 5/19 (26%) of the discordant cases, PET/MRI findings consistent with PC missed on SCI led to management changes. CONCLUSION: PET/MRI improves detection of PC compared with SCI which frequently changes management.

Therapeutic avenues for cancer neuroscience: translational frontiers and clinical opportunities.

With increasing attention on the essential roles of the tumour microenvironment in recent years, the nervous system has emerged as a novel and crucial facilitator of cancer growth. In this Review, we describe the foundational, translational, and clinical advances illustrating how nerves contribute to tumour proliferation, stress adaptation, immunomodulation, metastasis, electrical hyperactivity and seizures, and neuropathic pain. Collectively, this expanding knowledge base reveals multiple therapeutic avenues for cancer neuroscience that warrant further exploration in clinical studies. We discuss the available clinical data, including ongoing trials investigating novel agents targeting the tumour-nerve axis, and the therapeutic potential for repurposing existing neuroactive drugs as an anti-cancer approach, particularly in combination with established treatment regimens. Lastly, we discuss the clinical challenges of these treatment strategies and highlight unanswered questions and future directions in the burgeoning field of cancer neuroscience.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy for primary liver tumors: An effective liver-directed therapy in the toolbox.

The use of radiation for primary liver cancers has historically been limited because of the risk of radiation-induced liver disease. Treatment fields have become more conformal because of several technical advances, and this has allowed for dose escalation. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, is now able to safely treat liver tumors to ablative doses while sparing functional liver parenchyma by using highly conformal therapy. Several retrospective and small prospective studies have examined the use of SBRT for liver cancers; however, there is a lack of well-powered randomized studies to definitively guide management in these settings. Recent advances in systemic therapy for primary liver cancers have improved outcomes; however, the optimal selection criteria for SBRT as a local therapy remain unclear among other liver-directed options such as radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and radioembolization.

Prospective Phase II Trials Validate the Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Pattern of Recurrence in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to characterize the patterns of first recurrence after curative-intent resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: We evaluated the first site of recurrence after neoadjuvant treatment as locoregional (LR) or distant metastasis (DM). To validate our findings, we evaluated the pattern from 2 phase II clinical trials evaluating neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in PDAC. METHODS: We identified site of first recurrence from a retrospective cohort of patients from 2011 to 2017 treated with NAC followed by chemoradiation and then an operation or an operation first followed by adjuvant therapy, and 2 separate prospective cohorts of patients derived from 2 phase II clinical trials evaluating patients treated with NAC in borderline-resectable and locally advanced PDAC. RESULTS: In the retrospective cohorts, 160 out of 285 patients (56.1%) recurred after a median disease-free survival (mDFS) of 17.2 months. The pattern of recurrence was DM in 81.9% of patients, versus LR in 11.1%. This pattern was consistent in patients treated with upfront resection and adjuvant chemotherapy (DM 83.0%, LR 16.9%) regardless of margin-involvement (DM 80.1%, LR 19.4%). The use of NAC did not alter pattern of recurrence; 81.7% had DM and 18.3% had LR. This pattern also remained consistent regardless of margin-involvement (DM 94.1%, LR 5.9%). In the Phase II borderline-resectable trial (NCI# 01591733) cohort of 32 patients, the mDFS was 34.2 months. Pattern of recurrence remained predominantly DM (88.9%) versus LR (11.1%). In the Phase II locally-advanced trial (NCI# 01821729) cohort of 34 patients, the mDFS was 30.7 months. Although there was a higher rate of local recurrence in this cohort, pattern of first recurrence remained predominantly DM (66.6%) versus LR (33.3%) and remained consistent independent of margin-status. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of recurrence in PDAC is predominantly DM rather than LR, and is consistent regardless of the use of NAC and margin involvement.

A Combination of Biochemical and Pathological Parameters Improves Prediction of Postresection Survival After Preoperative Chemotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer: The PANAMA-score.

OBJECTIVE: To build a prognostic score for patients with primary chemotherapy undergoing surgery for pancreatic cancer based on pathological parameters and preoperative Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels. BACKGROUND: Prognostic stratification after primary chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is challenging and prediction models, such as the AJCC staging system, lack validation in the setting of preoperative chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with primary chemotherapy resected at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 2007 and 2017 were analyzed. Tumor characteristics independently associated with overall survival were identified and weighted by Cox-proportional regression. The pancreatic neoadjuvant Massachusetts-score (PANAMA-score) was computed from these variables and its performance assessed by Harrel concordance index and area under the receiving characteristics curves analysis. Comparisons were made with the AJCC staging system and external validation was performed in an independent cohort with primary chemotherapy from Heidelberg, Germany. RESULTS: A total of 216 patients constituted the training cohort. The multivariate analysis demonstrated tumor size, number of positive lymph-nodes, R-status, and high CA19-9 to be independently associated with overall survival. Kaplan-Meier analysis according to low, intermediate, and high PANAMA-score showed good discriminatory power of the new metrics (P < 0.001). The median overall survival for the three risk-groups was 45, 27, and 12 months, respectively. External validation in 258 patients confirmed the prognostic ability of the score and demonstrated better accuracy compared with the AJCC staging system. CONCLUSION: The proposed PANAMA-score, based on independent predictors of postresection survival, including pathologic variables and CA19-9, not only provides better discrimination compared to the AJCC staging system, but also identifies patients at high-risk for early death.

Neoadjuvant versus Postoperative Chemoradiotherapy is Associated with Improved Survival for Patients with Resectable Gastric and Gastroesophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The optimal timing of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for patients with localized gastric cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the survival outcomes between neoadjuvant and postoperative CRT for patients with gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 152 patients with gastric (42%) or GEJ (58%) adenocarcinoma who underwent definitive surgical resection and received either neoadjuvant or postoperative CRT between 2005 and 2017 at the authors' institution. The primary end point of the study was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 37.5 months. Neoadjuvant CRT was performed for 102 patients (67%) and postoperative CRT for 50 patients (33%). The patients who received neoadjuvant CRT were more likely to be male and to have a GEJ tumor, positive lymph nodes, and a higher clinical stage. The median radiotherapy (RT) dose was 50.4 Gy for neoadjuvant RT and 45.0 Gy for postoperative RT (p < 0.001). The neoadjuvant CRT group had a pathologic complete response (pCR) rate of 26% and a greater rate of R0 resection than the postoperative CRT group (95% vs. 76%; p = 0.002). Neoadjuvant versus postoperative CRT was associated with a lower rate of any grade 3+ toxicity (10% vs. 54%; p < 0.001). The multivariable analysis of OS showed lower hazards of death to be independently associated neoadjuvant versus postoperative CRT (hazard ratio [HR] 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36-0.91; p = 0.020) and R0 resection (HR 0.50; 95% CI 0.27-0.90; p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant CRT was associated with a longer OS, a higher rate of R0 resection, and a lower treatment-related toxicity than postoperative CRT. The findings suggest that neoadjuvant CRT is superior to postoperative CRT in the treatment of gastric and GEJ cancer.

Optimal Neoadjuvant Strategies for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer by Risk Assessment and Tumor Location.

Neoadjuvant therapy is standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Advancements in multimodality therapy options and sequencing of radiation therapy (RT), surgery, and chemotherapy make decision-making challenging. Traditional treatment of patients with LARC involves neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by total mesorectal excision and consideration of adjuvant chemotherapy. Advancement in RT has led to trials offering both short-course and long-course RT with good long-term clinical outcomes. Intensification of therapy in high-risk patients has led to studies of total neoadjuvant therapy with chemotherapy and chemoradiation, now standard management for most LARC. De-escalation of therapy in patients with favorable prognosis has led to several considerations, including non-total mesorectal excision management or neoadjuvant chemotherapy only. Several considerations of patient and disease factors can help inform the optimal chemotherapy regimens in different sequencing of neoadjuvant strategies. Finally, novel biomarkers, such as microsatellite instability, has led to utilization of novel therapies, including neoadjuvant immunotherapy, with substantial response. This review attempts to frame the rapidly growing data in LARC in context of disease and patient risk factors, to inform optimal, personalized treatment of patients with LARC.

Response prediction of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer using CT-based fractal dimension analysis.

OBJECTIVES: There are individual variations in neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (nCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). No reliable modality currently exists that can predict the efficacy of nCRT. The purpose of this study is to assess if CT-based fractal dimension and filtration-histogram texture analysis can predict therapeutic response to nCRT in patients with LARC. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 215 patients (average age: 57 years (18-87 years)) who received nCRT for LARC between June 2005 and December 2016 and underwent a staging diagnostic portal venous phase CT were identified. The patients were randomly divided into two datasets: a training set (n = 170), and a validation set (n = 45). Tumor heterogeneity was assessed on the CT images using fractal dimension (FD) and filtration-histogram texture analysis. In the training set, the patients with pCR and non-pCR were compared in univariate analysis. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the predictive value of efficacy of nCRT and receiver operating characteristic analysis determined optimal cutoff value. Subsequently, the most significant parameter was assessed in the validation set. RESULTS: Out of the 215 patients evaluated, pCR was reached in 20.9% (n = 45/215) patients. In the training set, 7 out of 37 texture parameters showed significant difference comparing between the pCR and non-pCR groups and logistic multivariable regression analysis incorporating clinical and 7 texture parameters showed that only FD was associated with pCR (p = 0.001). The area under the curve of FD was 0.76. In the validation set, we applied FD for predicting pCR and sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 60%, 89%, and 82%, respectively. CONCLUSION: FD on pretreatment CT is a promising parameter for predicting pCR to nCRT in patients with LARC and could be used to help make treatment decisions. KEY POINTS: • Fractal dimension analysis on pretreatment CT was associated with response to neo-adjuvant chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. • Fractal dimension is a promising biomarker for predicting pCR to nCRT and may potentially select patients for individualized therapy.

Arterial involvement and resectability scoring system to predict R0 resection in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To derive a CT-based scoring system incorporating arterial involvement and resectability status to predict R0 resection in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT). METHODS: This retrospective study included 112 patients with PDAC who underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced CT before and after neoadjuvant CRT. A 5-point score was used to determine arterial involvement (A score; 1 = no involvement, 2 = haziness, 3 = abutment, 4 = encasement, 5 = deformity) and 4-point score evaluating resectability status (R score; 1 = resectable, 2 = borderline resectable [BR] with venous involvement, 3 = BR with arterial involvement, 4 = locally advanced [LA]). A score before and after CRT were summed with R score before and after CRT to compute the AR score (ARtotal). The associations between ARtotal, R0 resection, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed. RESULTS: The ARtotal was associated with R0 resection (p < .001) and showed area under the ROC curve of 0.79 for differentiating R0 and R1 resections. Median OS was significantly lower for patients with ARtotal  > 9 (median: 35.2 months) compared to patients with ARtotal ≤ 9 (median: not estimable) (p < .001). Similar results were observed for DFS (median, 16.8 months in > 9 vs median, not estimable in ≤ 9; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A composite score which incorporates degree of arterial involvement and resectability status before and after neoadjuvant CRT is associated with R0 resection and discriminates between R0 and R1 resections in PDAC. KEY POINTS: • A scoring system incorporating arterial involvement and resectability status was associated with R0 resection. • ARtotal > 9 could predict patients' overall and disease-free survival.

Patient Survival With ypT0N+ Following Neoadjuvant Therapy in Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: After neoadjuvant therapy, pathologic analysis of rectal cancer resected specimens may show a complete response in the primary tissue cancer with residual tumor in the lymph nodes (ypT0N+). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the 5-year overall survival and factors associated with survival of ypT0N+ patients with rectal cancer who had neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery and to compare these patients' survival with patients in other pathologic categories. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective analysis. SETTINGS: We used the National Cancer Database. PATIENTS: We identified patients with rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent total neoadjuvant therapy or neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery between 2006 and 2016. Besides ypT0N+, 5 pathologic categories were identified: ypT0N0, ypT1-2N0, ypT3-4N0, ypT1-2N+, and ypT3-4N+. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome measure was 5-year overall survival. RESULTS: We included 30,751 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma. A total of 342 patients developed ypT0N+, of whom 181 (52.9%) received total neoadjuvant therapy. Among patients who received total neoadjuvant therapy, developing ypT0N+ was associated with a lower 5-year overall survival than ypT0N0 and ypT1-2N0. However, ypT0N+ disease was associated with a higher 5-year overall survival than ypT3-4N+. There were no differences in 5-year overall survival between ypT0N+ and ypT3-4N0 or ypT1-2N+. Similar findings were noticed among patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. For patients with ypT0N+, older age, male gender, and higher number of positive lymph nodes were all associated with a decrease in the overall survival. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include the retrospective nature of this study, lack of variables describing the chemotherapy and radiation regimens used, and paucity of data on disease-specific survival or recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Developing ypT0N+ was associated with a lower 5-year overall survival than ypT0N0 and ypT1-2N0. However, it was associated with a higher 5-year overall survival than ypT3-4N+. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B863 . SOBREVIDA DE LOS PACIENTES CON YPTN DESPUS DE LA TERAPIA NEOADYUVANTE EN EL CNCER DE RECTO: ANTECEDENTES:Después del tratamiento neoadyuvante en el cáncer de recto bajo, el análisis patológico de la pieza operatoria resecada, puede mostrar una respuesta patológica completa del tumor primario pero con tumor residual en los ganglios linfáticos (ypT0N+).OBJETIVOS:Describir la sobrevida general a 5 años y los factores asociados con la sobrevida de los pacientes ypT0N+ con cáncer de recto, que recibieron terapia neoadyuvante seguida de cirugía y comparar la sobrevida de estos pacientes con la de pacientes con otros estadios patológicos.DISEÑO:Realizamos un análisis retrospectivo.AJUSTES:Utilizamos la base de datos nacional del cáncer.PACIENTES:Identificamos pacientes con adenocarcinoma de recto que se sometieron a terapia neoadyuvante total, seguida de cirugía entre 2006 y 2016. Además de ypT0N +, se identificaron 5 categorías patológicas: ypT0N0, ypT1-2N0, ypT3-4N0, ypT1-2N+, e ypT3-4N+.PRINCIPAL MEDIDA DE RESULTADO:La medida de resultado principal fue la supervivencia general a 5 años.RESULTADOS:Se incluyeron 30.751 pacientes con adenocarcinoma de recto. Un total de 342 pacientes desarrollaron ypT0N+, de los cuales 181 (52,9%) recibieron terapia neoadyuvante total. Entre los pacientes que recibieron terapia neoadyuvante total, el desarrollo de ypT0N+ se asoció con una supervivencia general a 5 años más baja que ypT0N0 e ypT1-2N0. Sin embargo, la enfermedad ypT0N+ se asoció con una supervivencia general a 5 años más alta que ypT3-4N+. No hubo diferencias en la supervivencia global a 5 años entre ypT0N+ y ypT3-4N0 o ypT1-2N+. Se observaron hallazgos similares entre los pacientes que recibieron terapia neoadyuvante y quimioterapia adyuvante. Para los pacientes con ypT0N+, la edad avanzada, el sexo masculino y un mayor número de ganglios linfáticos positivos se asociaron con una disminución en la supervivencia general.LIMITACIONES:Las limitaciones incluyen la naturaleza retrospectiva del estudio, la falta de variables que describan los regímenes de quimioterapia y radiación utilizados y la escasez de datos sobre la supervivencia o la recurrencia específicas de la enfermedad.CONCLUSIONES:El desarrollo de ypT0N+ se asoció con una supervivencia general a 5 años más baja que ypT0N0 e ypT1-2N0. Sin embargo, se asoció con una supervivencia global a 5 años más alta que ypT3-4N+. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B863 . (Traducción-Dr. Rodrigo Azolas ).

Clinical impact of PET/MRI in oligometastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Oligometastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is potentially curable and demands individualised strategies. METHODS: This single-centre retrospective study investigated if positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MR) had a clinical impact on oligometastatic CRC relative to the standard of care imaging (SCI). Adult patients with oligometastatic CRC on SCI who also underwent PET/MR between 3/2016 and 3/2019 were included. The exclusion criterion was lack of confirmatory standard of reference, either surgical pathology, intraoperative gross confirmation or imaging follow-up. SCI consisted of contrast-enhanced (CE) computed tomography (CT) of the chest/abdomen/pelvis, abdominal/pelvic CE-MR, and/or CE whole-body PET/CT with diagnostic quality (i.e. standard radiation dose) CT. Follow-up was evaluated until 3/2020. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients constituted the cohort, 16 (52%) male, median patient age was 53 years (interquartile range: 49-65 years). PET/MR and SCI results were divergent in 19% (95% CI 9-37%) of the cases, with PET/MR leading to management changes in all of them. The diagnostic accuracy of PET/MR was 90 ± 5%, versus 71 ± 8% for SCI. In a pairwise analysis, PET/MR outperformed SCI when compared to the reference standard (p = 0.0412). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the potential usefulness of PET/MR in the management of oligometastatic CRC.

Impact of Treatment Sequencing on Survival for Patients with Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Data are limited concerning the survival outcomes of locally advanced gastric cancer patients according to the multimodality therapy (MMT) administered. METHODS: Single institution, retrospective analysis of 235 patients with locally advanced gastric cancer from 2001 to 2015. All patients met criteria for curative-intent surgery and chemotherapy ± radiation therapy. Treatment regimens were: (1) surgery first with adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (S + Adj); (2) perioperative chemotherapy + surgery (Periop); and (3) total neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery (TNT + S). RESULTS: One hundred twenty-eight (60.0%) patients received S + Adj, 69 (26.8%) Periop, and 38 (13.2%) TNT + S. Of the 235 patients, 222 (94.5%) received surgery. All intended therapy was received by 81.6% of TNT + S, 44.5% of S + Adj, and 42.0% of Periop patients. MMT was significantly more likely to be completed by TNT + S patients (HR 6.67, p < 0.001). At a median follow-up of 37 months, survival rates on an intention-to-treat basis with TNT + S, Periop, and S + Adj were 52.6%, 59.4%, and 45.3%, respectively. Regimen and completion of MMT significantly affected overall mortality risk. Compared with Periop, TNT + S had similar mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28, p = 0.421), whereas S + Adj had increased mortality risk (HR 1.64, p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: The choice of treatment sequencing has a major impact on completion rates of multimodal therapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Less than 50% of patients treated with upfront surgery or perioperative chemotherapy receive all intended therapies. TNT has higher intended therapy completion rates and comparable survival compared with perioperative therapy in our data. Further prospective investigations of TNT are warranted.

Intraoperative Radiation Mitigates the Effect of Microscopically Positive Tumor Margins on Survival Among Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX and Chemoradiation.

BACKGROUND: Microscopically positive margins (R1) negatively impact survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). For patients with close/positive margins, intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) can improve local control. The prognostic impact of an R1 resection in patients who receive total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT; FOLFIRINOX with chemoradiation) and IORT is unknown. METHODS: Clinicopathologic data were retrospectively collected for borderline/locally advanced (BR/LA) PDAC patients who received TNT and underwent resection between 2011 and 2019. Disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) measured from time of diagnosis were compared between groups. RESULTS: Two hundred one patients received TNT and were resected, with a median DFS and OS of 24 months and 47 months, respectively. Eighty-eight patients (44%) received IORT; of these, 69 (78%) underwent an R0 and 19 (22%) an R1 resection. There was no significant difference in clinicopathologic factors between the IORT and no-IORT groups, except for resectability status (LA: IORT 69%, no-IORT 53%, p = 0.021) and surgeons' concern for a positive/close margin. R1 resection was associated with worse DFS and OS in the no-IORT population. However, among patients who received IORT, there was no difference in DFS (R0: 29 months, IQR 14-47 vs R1: 20 months, IQR 15-28; p = 0.114) or OS (R0: 48 months, IQR 25-not reached vs R1: 37 months, IQR 30-47; p = 0.307) between patients who underwent R0 vs R1 resection. In multivariate analysis, within the IORT group, R1 resection was not associated with DFS or OS. CONCLUSION: IORT may mitigate the adverse effect of an R1 resection on DFS and OS in BR/LA PDAC patients receiving TNT.

Improving staging of rectal cancer in the pelvis: the role of PET/MRI.

PURPOSE: The role of positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) in evaluating the local extent of rectal cancer remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the possible role of PET/MR versus magnetic resonance (MR) in clinically staging rectal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective two-center cohort study of 62 patients with untreated rectal cancer investigated the possible role of baseline staging PET/MR versus stand-alone MR in determination of clinical stage. Two readers reviewed T and N stage, mesorectal fascia involvement, tumor length, distance from the anal verge, sphincter involvement, and extramural vascular invasion (EMVI). Sigmoidoscopy, digital rectal examination, and follow-up imaging, along with surgery when available, served as the reference standard. RESULTS: PET/MR outperformed MR in evaluating tumor size (42.5 ± 21.03 mm per the reference standard, 54 ± 20.45 mm by stand-alone MR, and 44 ± 20 mm by PET/MR, P = 0.004), and in identifying N status (correct by MR in 36/62 patients [58%] and by PET/MR in 49/62 cases [79%]; P = 0.02) and external sphincter infiltration (correct by MR in 6/10 and by PET/MR in 9/10; P = 0.003). No statistically significant differences were observed in relation to any other features. CONCLUSION: PET/MR provides a more precise assessment of the local extent of rectal cancers in evaluating cancer length, N status, and external sphincter involvement. PET/MR offers the opportunity to improve clinical decision-making, especially when evaluating low rectal tumors with possible external sphincter involvement.

Integration of Systemic and Liver-Directed Therapies for Locally Advanced Hepatocellular Cancer: Harnessing Potential Synergy for New Therapeutic Horizons.

Treatment options in locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have evolved considerably over the past few years with the recent approval of multiple systemic therapies and significant advances in locoregional therapy. Given the poor prognosis for patients with unresectable HCC, there is significant interest in rationally designed combination therapies. This article reviews the treatment options available to patients with locally advanced HCC and discusses the rationale, ongoing trials, and future prospects for combining locoregional and systemic therapy in both the definitive and neoadjuvant settings.

Gender, Productivity, and Philanthropic Fundraising in Academic Oncology.

BACKGROUND: Philanthropic donations are important funding sources in academic oncology but may be vulnerable to implicit or explicit biases toward women. However, the influence of gender on donations has not been assessed quantitatively. METHODS: We queried a large academic cancer center's development database for donations over 10 years to the sundry funds of medical and radiation oncologists. Types of donations and total amounts for medical oncologists and radiation oncologists hired prior to April 1, 2018 (allowing ≥2 years on faculty prior to query), were obtained. We also obtained publicly available data on physician/academic rank, gender, specialty, disease site, and Hirsch-index (h-index), a metric of productivity. RESULTS: We identified 127 physicians: 64% men and 36% women. Median h-index was higher for men (31; range, 1-100) than women (17; range, 3-77; P=.003). Men were also more likely to have spent more time at the institution (median, 15 years; range, 2-43 years) than women (median, 12.5 years; range, 3-22 years; P=.025). Those receiving donations were significantly more likely to be men (70% vs 30%; P=.034). Men received significantly higher median amounts ($259,474; range, $0-$29,507,784) versus women ($37,485; range, $0-$7,483,726; P=.019). On multivariable analysis, only h-index and senior academic rank were associated with donation receipt, and only h-index with donation amount. CONCLUSIONS: We found significant gender disparities in receipt of philanthropic donations on unadjusted analyses. However, on multivariable analyses, only productivity and rank were significantly associated with donations, suggesting gender disparities in productivity and promotions may contribute to these differences.

Chemoradiation-Related Lymphopenia and Its Association with Survival in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anal Canal.

BACKGROUND: Although treatment-related lymphopenia (TRL) is common and associated with poorer survival in multiple solid malignancies, few data exist for anal cancer. We evaluated TRL and its association with survival in patients with anal cancer treated with chemoradiation (CRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 140 patients with nonmetastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated with definitive CRT was performed. Total lymphocyte counts (TLC) at baseline and monthly intervals up to 12 months after initiating CRT were analyzed. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between overall survival (OS) and TRL, dichotomized by grade (G)4 TRL (<0.2k/µL) 2 months after initiating CRT. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used to compare OS between patients with versus without G4 TRL. RESULTS: Median time of follow-up was 55 months. Prior to CRT, 95% of patients had a normal TLC (>1k/µL). Two months after initiating CRT, there was a median of 71% reduction in TLC from baseline and 84% of patients had TRL: 11% G1, 31% G2, 34% G3, and 8% G4. On multivariable Cox model, G4 TRL at two months was associated with a 3.7-fold increased risk of death. On log-rank test, the 5-year OS rate was 32% in the cohort with G4 TRL versus 86% in the cohort without G4 TRL. CONCLUSION: TRL is common and may be another prognostic marker of OS in anal cancer patients treated with CRT. The association between TRL and OS suggests an important role of the host immunity in anal cancer outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This is the first detailed report demonstrating that standard chemoradiation (CRT) commonly results in treatment-related lymphopenia (TRL), which may be associated with a poorer overall survival (OS) in patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma. The association between TRL and worse OS observed in this study supports the importance of host immunity in survival among patients with anal cancer. These findings encourage larger, prospective studies to further investigate TRL, its predictors, and its relationship with survival outcomes. Furthermore, the results of this study support ongoing efforts of clinical trials to investigate the potential role of immunotherapy in anal cancer.