Performance evaluation of a self-administered home oral glucose tolerance test kit in a controlled clinical research setting.

AIM: To evaluate the performance of the current, pre-production version of a novel home oral glucose tolerance test (Home OGTT) device when administered by trained research nurses, compared with a reference laboratory glucose analyser and a second laboratory analyser, incorporating a sample processing delay to simulate normal practice. METHODS: One hundred women (aged 19-48 years), with and without known glucose intolerance were recruited. Following an overnight fast, participants attended for a 75-g OGTT. A fasting capillary sample was applied to the Home OGTT device with a corresponding venous sample collected and measured immediately on the reference YSI 2300 stat plus analyser, and following a 1-h delay on the Randox Daytona Plus analyser. The sampling process was repeated 2 h after the oral glucose load. RESULTS: Some 97% of tested devices gave complete data for analysis. Good agreement was observed between the reference glucose analyser and the Home OGTT device, with the Home OGTT device displaying a small negative bias (-0.18 mmol/l, -1.75 to 1.39 mmol/mol; -1.0%, -26.4% to 24.5%; absolute and relative mean, 95% limits of agreement). When classified as normal glucose tolerant or glucose intolerant, the Home OGTT device showed 100% and 90% sensitivity, and 99% and 99% specificity using fasting plasma glucose and 2-h glucose respectively. Similar sensitivity (100% and 100%) and specificity (96% and 99%) for fasting plasma glucose and 2-h glucose were observed using the secondary analyser. CONCLUSIONS: The novel Home OGTT device was reliable and easy to use and showed excellent agreement with two separate laboratory analysers. The Home OGTT offers potential as an effective alternative for clinic-based OGTT testing.

Effect of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose, with and without additional TeleCare support, on overall glycaemic control in non-insulin treated Type 2 diabetes: the SMBG Study, a 12-month randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To examine the impact of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose, with or without TeleCare support, on glycaemic control in people with sub-optimally controlled Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We conducted a 12-month, multicentre, randomized controlled trial in people with established (>1 year) Type 2 diabetes not on insulin therapy, with sub-optimal glycaemic control [HbA1c ≥58 to ≤119 mmol/mol (≥7.5% to ≤13%)]. A total of 446 participants were randomized to a control group (n =151) receiving usual diabetes care, a group using structured self-monitoring of blood glucose alone (n =147) or a group using structured self-monitoring of blood glucose with additional monthly 'TeleCare' support (n =148). The primary outcome was HbA1c at 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 323 participants (72%) completed the study; 116 (77%) in the control group, 99 (67%) in the self-monitoring of blood glucose alone group and 108 (73%) in the self-monitoring of blood glucose plus TeleCare group. Compared to baseline, the mean HbA1c was lower in all groups at 12 months, with reductions of 3.3 mmol/mol (95% CI -5.71 to -0.78) or 0.3% (95% CI -0.52 to -0.07; P=0.01) in the control group, 11.4 mmol/mol (95% CI -14.11 to -8.76) or 1.1% (-1.29 to -0.81; P<0.0001) in the group using self-monitoring of blood glucose alone and 12.8 mmol/mol (95% CI -15.34 to -10.31) or 1.2% (95% CI -1.40 to -0.94; P<0.0001) in the group using self-monitoring of blood glucose plus TeleCare. This represents a reduction in HbA1c of 8.9 mmol/mol (95% CI -11.97 to -5.84) or 0.8% (95% CI -1.10 to -0.54; P≤0.0001) with structured self-monitoring of blood glucose compared to the control group. Participants with lower baseline HbA1c , shorter duration of diabetes and higher educational achievement were more likely to achieve HbA1c ≤53 mmol/mol (7.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Structured self-monitoring of blood glucose provides clinical and statistical improvements in glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes. No additional benefit, over and above the use of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose, was observed in glycaemic control with the addition of once-monthly TeleCare support. (Clinical trial registration no.: ISRCTN21390608).

Risk and predictors of suicide in colorectal cancer patients: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results analysis.

BACKGROUND: The risk of suicide is higher for patients with colorectal cancer (crc) than for the general population. Given known differences in morbidity and sites of recurrence, we sought to compare the predictors of suicide for patients with colon cancer and with rectal cancer. METHODS: Using the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, adult patients with confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum during 1973-2009 were identified. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to assess selected variables, and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine predictors of suicide. RESULTS: The database identified 187,996 patients with rectal cancer and 443,368 with colon cancer. Compared with the rectal cancer group, the colon cancer group was older (median age: 70 years vs. 67 years; p < 0.001) and included more women (51% vs. 43%, p < 0.001). Suicide rates were similar in the colon and rectal cancer groups [611 (0.14%) vs. 337 (0.18%), p < 0.001]. On univariate analysis, rectal cancer was a predictor of suicide [hazard ratio (hr): 1.26; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.10 to 1.43]. However, after adjusting for clinical and pathology factors, rectal cancer was not a predictor of suicide (hr: 1.05; 95% ci: 0.83 to 1.33). In the colon cancer cohort, independent predictors of suicide included older age, male sex, white race, and lack of primary resection. The aforementioned predictors, plus metastatic disease, similarly predicted suicide in the rectal cancer cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The suicide risk in crc patients is low (<0.2%), and no difference was found based on location of the primary tumour. Sex, age, race, distant spread of disease, and intact primary tumour were the main predictors of suicide among crc patients. Further studies and interventions are needed to target these high-risk groups.

Population-based trends in systemic therapy use and cost for cancer patients in the last year of life.

BACKGROUND: The use of systemic therapy near the end of life can expose cancer patients to severe toxicity for minimal survival gain and comes with a high cost. Early palliative care is recommended, but there is evidence that aggressive care remains common. To better understand those patterns, the present study set out to describe trends in systemic therapy use and cost for cancer patients in the last year of life. METHODS: Using the BC Cancer Registry, a retrospective population-based cohort of cancer decedents (2002-2007) was identified and linked to systemic therapy records. The outcomes of interest were any systemic therapy use and total systemic therapy costs during the last year of life. Multiple logistic regression (systemic therapy use) and generalized linear regression (costs) were conducted, adjusting for age, sex, and survival. Subgroup analyses were performed for patients with primary colorectal, lung, prostate, or breast cancer. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2007, use of systemic therapy in the last 12-4 months of life increased by 21% (95% ci: 10% to 33%); no significant change in use in the last 3 months of life was observed. Costs for both periods increased over time, by 48% (95% ci: 36% to 63%) and by 33% (95% ci: 19% to 49%) respectively. The trends varied across cancer sites, with the greatest increases being observed for lung and colorectal cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: The use and costs of systemic therapy have generally been increasing, putting pressure on health care providers and payers, but the quality-of-life implications for patients must be better understood.

Patterns of practice with third-line anti-EGFR antibody for metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Therapy with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (egfr) monoclonal antibody improves outcomes for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc) in the first-, second-, and third-line trial settings. In British Columbia, the use of egfr inhibitors (egfris) is confined to third-line therapy, which might lower the proportion of patients who receive this therapy. The objective of the present study was to describe egfri treatment patterns when those agents are limited to the third-line setting. The results will inform decisions about optimal use of egfri agents, including earlier in the course of therapy for metastatic disease. METHODS: All patients with newly diagnosed mcrc who were referred to BC Cancer Agency clinics in 2009 were included in the study. Prognostic and treatment information was prospectively collected; KRAS test results were determined by chart review. RESULTS: The study included 443 patients with a median age of 66 years. For the 321 patients who received systemic therapy, median survival was 22.3 months. Of the 117 patients who were treated with 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan, and who were potentially eligible for egfri therapy, 90% (105 patients) were tested for KRAS status. Of the 60 patients with KRAS wild-type tumours, 82% (49 patients) received egfri therapy. CONCLUSIONS: When egfri therapy is limited to the third-line setting, only a small proportion of patients receive such therapy, with death and poor performance status preventing its use in the rest. Availability of egfri in earlier lines of therapy could increase the proportion of patients treated with all active systemic agents.

Clinical outcomes of elderly patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Studies of clinical outcomes of elderly patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) are limited. Our aim was to assess the impact of age on clinical outcomes in a large multi-institutional database. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data for patients diagnosed with LARC who received nCRT and curative-intent surgery between 2005 and 2012 were collected from five major Canadian cancer centers. Age was analyzed as a continuous and dichotomous variable (< 70 versus ≥ 70 years) and correlated with disease-free survival (DFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). Cox regression models were used to adjust for important prognostic factors. RESULTS: Of 1172 patients included, 295 (25%) were ≥ 70 years, and they were less likely to receive adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT; 60% versus 79%, P < 0.0001), oxaliplatin-based ACT (12% versus 31%, P < 0.0001), less likely to complete nCT (76% versus 86%, P < 0.001), and more likely to be anemic at initiation of nCRT (42% versus 30%, P = 0.0004). In multivariate analyses, age ≥ 70 years was associated with similar DFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68-1.26, P = 0.63], similar CSS (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.46-1.41, P = 0.45), and similar OS (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.88-1.86, P = 0.20), compared with the younger age group. As a continuous variable, increasing age was not predictive of DFS (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99-1.02, P = 0.49) or CSS (HR 1.002, 95% CI 0.98-1.02, P = 0.88); however, it correlated with an inferior OS (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.03, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients (≥ 70 years) who receive nCRT followed by surgery appear to have similar outcomes compared with younger patients. Decisions regarding eligibility for nCRT and surgery should not be based on age alone.

Potential drug interactions in patients with a history of cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors (css) are frequently exposed to polypharmacy, which might increase their risk of drug interactions. Our study aimed to determine the relative prevalence of potential drug interactions (pdis) among css compared with non-cancer respondents (ncrs). METHODS: Self-reported prescription data from 4975 patients were extracted from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and screened for pdis using iFacts: Drug Interaction Facts (Facts and Comparisons, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.). The clinical significance of each pdi was graded on a 5-point scale based on the severity of the interaction and the level of evidence documenting the interaction. Summary statistics and logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of cancer history on the risk of pdis. RESULTS: Of patients eligible for the analyses, the css (n = 302) indicated using 4.4 ± 0.22 prescriptions on average, and the ncrs (n = 908), 3.8 ± 0.09. Nearly half of both cohorts (40% of css, 43% of ncrs) had at least 1 pdi. In both cohorts, 12% were at risk for fatal or permanently debilitating effects. In multivariate analyses, css were significantly less likely than ncrs to be at risk for any pdis (odds ratio: 0.65; 95% confidence interval: 0.46 to 0.92; p = 0.02). Advanced age and low household income were associated with pdis among css. Medications most commonly prescribed to css with a pdi included metoprolol (15.6%), levothyroxine (13.6%), and furosemide (11.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Although css appear to be less susceptible than ncrs to pdis, the prevalence of pdis among css remains suboptimal. Specific subgroups of css may be particularly prone to pdis, underscoring the importance of increased vigilance.

Protective skin care behaviors in cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Research suggests that physicians neglect preventive care for cancer survivors. A survivor's self-motivation with respect to preventive care is unknown. Using protective skin care as a proxy, our aims were to characterize preventive care in cancer survivors and to identify factors associated with appropriate prevention. METHODS: Using data from the 2009 U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey, we compared preventive skin care patterns in cancer survivors and non-cancer patients. Primary endpoints were the use of sunscreens, long-sleeved shirts, hats, and shade. RESULTS: We identified 179 early cancer survivors (<5 years), 242 intermediate cancer survivors (5-10 years), 412 long-term cancer survivors (>10 years), and 5951 non-cancer patients. The use of sunscreens (60%), long-sleeved shirts (88%), hats (58%), and shade (68%) was suboptimal. Overall, cancer survivors were not more likely to adhere to preventive care (p = 0.89). A composite score showed a significant difference between the cancer survivor groups (p < 0.01) whereby intermediate survivors reported the best preventive practices. CONCLUSIONS: A prior diagnosis of cancer does not appear to increase personal compliance with cancer prevention. Reasons for this poor engagement are not clear. Targeted strategies to increase self-motivation might improve preventive practices in cancer survivors.

Perioperative chemotherapy for gastroesophageal cancer in British Columbia: a multicentre experience.

BACKGROUND: In 2006, perioperative epirubicin, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (ecf), compared with surgery alone, demonstrated a significant survival benefit in resectable gastroesophageal cancers. We report the results of our experience with that protocol. METHODS: The BC Cancer Agency (bcca) is a multicentre institution that treats most oncology patients for the province. Characteristics of the 83 bcca patients with localized gastric, gastroesophageal junction, or lower esophageal cancer who initiated perioperative chemotherapy either ecf or epirubicin, cisplatin, and capecitabine (ecx) from 2008 to 2011 were abstracted to an anonymous database and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 83 patients in the cohort [66 men; median age: 62 years (range: 37-79 years)], 87.9% completed 3 cycles of perioperative chemotherapy, and 93.9% (n = 78) underwent an attempt at surgery (2 patients died of chemotherapy toxicities, 1 refused surgery, and 2 developed disease progression before surgery). In 11 of the surgeries (14.1%), tumours could not be resected because of unresectability (n = 1), liver metastasis (n = 1), and peritoneal carcinomatosis (n = 9). One patient died of surgical complications. The 6 patients (7.2%) who achieved a pathologic complete response are all alive and recurrence-free. Of 46 patients (55.4%) who subsequently began postoperative chemotherapy, 44.5% completed 3 cycles. Estimated median survival was 40.3 months. Weight loss was the only significant prognostic factor for worse overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our multicentre experience confirmed the feasibility of the magic protocol in a real-world scenario and showed that ecx is also an adequate regimen in the perioperative setting. Weight loss was the only significant prognostic factor for worse overall survival. All patients who achieved a pathologic complete response are recurrence-free after a median follow-up of 40.3 months.

Clinical and radiological outcomes after conservative treatment of TB spondylitis: is the 15 years' follow-up in the MRC study long enough?

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis of the spine is a still a common disease entity, not only in developing countries but is also returning in developed countries especially in the immune-compromised patients. Conservative treatment with chemotherapy is still the main stay of treatment. This article focuses on the clinical and radiological outcomes, and problems with conservative treatment. METHOD: The available literature of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy in managing spinal tuberculosis was reviewed. Data sources included relevant literature of the English language identified through Medline search from 1946 to 2011. Personal experience and unpublished reviews from the authors' institution were also included. RESULTS: Although majority of patients respond well to anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, about 15 % of them develop paradoxical response. The Medical Research Council (MRC) studies have shown that for patients without significant neurological deficits, operative and conservative treatment could produce the same clinical outcome at 15 years follow-up. Patients treated operatively with debridement and spinal fusion with strut graft had faster bony fusion and less kyphotic deformity. In contrast, those treated with drugs alone or with simple debridement without fusion may result in disease reactivation, severe kyphosis or late instability, which in turn may lead to late-onset Pott's paraplegia, back pain, sagittal imbalance and compromised pulmonary function that are difficult or risky to treat. CONCLUSION: Recognition of the clinical and radiologic features of these late sequels is important for the management. Prevention of deformity in the early disease has been added to the modern standard of treatment of TB spine.

Predicting the risk of cardiovascular comorbidities in adult cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVES: Data on how to identify cancer survivors (css) at the greatest risk for cardiovascular conditions are limited. We aimed to characterize the clinical factors associated with ischemic heart disease (ihd) and congestive heart failure (chf) in css and to develop a stratification schema for predicting the risk of cardiovascular comorbidities in css. METHODS: Cancer survivors and non-cancer controls (nccs) were identified from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Independent factors associated with increased relative risk (rr) for cardiovascular conditions were determined. A risk stratification schema was devised that correlated risk score with the prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities in cs. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar for the 1869 css and 24,337 nccs included in the study. Compared with nccs, css were more likely to report ihd (13.7% vs. 5.2%), chf (7.9% vs. 2.1%), or both (4.2% vs. 1.2%; all p < 0.01). Based on multivariate analyses, risk factors for cardiovascular problems included ages 40-60 years (rr: 3.66; 95% ci: 1.87 to 7.17), 60-80 years (rr: 14.18; 95% ci: 7.65 to 26.30), and 80 years or older (rr: 25.34; 95% ci: 13.16 to 48.78); male sex (rr: 2.25; 95% ci: 1.72 to 2.94); U.S. citizenship (rr: 2.10; 95% ci: 1.08 to 4.08); annual incomes of $20,000-$45,000 (rr: 1.81; 95% ci: 1.21 to 2.70) and less than $20,000 (rr: 3.05; 95% ci: 1.81 to 5.14); comorbid diabetes mellitus (rr: 2.97; 95% ci: 2.05 to 4.32); and physical inactivity (rr: 1.98; 95% ci: 1.41 to 2.79). CONCLUSIONS: Independent risk factors for ihd and chf in css were identified. The risk stratification schema presented here may be helpful in developing a risk-based approach to preventive cardiovascular strategies for css.

Panitumumab monotherapy compared with cetuximab and irinotecan combination therapy in patients with previously treated KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The survival benefit for single-agent anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (egfr) therapy compared with combination therapy with irinotecan in KRAS wildtype (wt) metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc) patients in the third-line treatment setting is not known. The objective of the present study was to describe the characteristics of, and to compare survival outcomes in, two cohorts of patients treated with either singleagent panitumumab or combination therapy with cetuximab and irinotecan. METHODS: The study enrolled patients with KRAS wt mcrc previously treated with both irinotecan and oxaliplatin who had received either panitumumab or combination cetuximab-irinotecan before April 1, 2011, at the BC Cancer Agency (bcca). Patients were excluded if they had received anti-egfr agents in earlier lines of therapy. Data were prospectively collected, except for performance status (ps), which was determined by chart review. Information about systemic therapy was extracted from the bcca Pharmacy Database. RESULTS: Of 178 eligible patients, 141 received panitumumab, and 37 received cetuximab-irinotecan. Compared with patients treated with cetuximab-irinotecan, panitumumab-treated patients were significantly older and more likely to have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ecog) ps of 2 or 3 (27.7% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.001). Other baseline prognostic variables and prior and subsequent therapies were similar. Median overall survival was 7.7 months for the panitumumab group and 8.3 months for the cetuximab-irinotecan group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that survival outcomes were similar regardless of the therapy selected (hazard ratio: 1.28; p = 0.34). An ecog ps of 2 or 3 compared with 0 or 1 was the only significant prognostic factor in this treatment setting (hazard ratio: 3.37; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Single-agent panitumumab and cetuximab-irinotecan are both reasonable third-line treatment options, with similar outcomes, for patients with chemoresistant mcrc.

Pyogenic spondylitis.

Pyogenic spondylitis is a neurological and life threatening condition. It encompasses a broad range of clinical entities, including pyogenic spondylodiscitis, septic discitis, vertebral osteomyelitis, and epidural abscess. The incidence though low appears to be on the rise. The diagnosis is based on clinical, radiological, blood and tissue cultures and histopathological findings. Most of the cases can be treated non-operatively. Surgical treatment is required in 10-20% of patients. Anterior decompression, debridement and fusion are generally recommended and instrumentation is acceptable after good surgical debridement with postoperative antibiotic cover.

Improving the quality of abstract reporting for economic analyses in oncology.

BACKGROUND: The increasing cost of cancer drugs underscores the importance of economic analyses. Although guidelines for abstract reporting of randomized controlled studies and phase i trials are available, similar recommendations for conference abstracts of economic analyses are lacking. Our objectives were to identify items considered to be essential in abstracts of economic analyses;to evaluate the quality of abstracts submitted to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (asco), the American Society of Hematology (ash), and the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ispor) meetings; andto propose guidelines for future abstract reporting at conferences. METHODS: Health economic experts were surveyed and asked to rate each of 24 possible abstract elements on a 5-point Likert scale. A scoring system for abstract quality was devised based on elements with an average expert rating of 3.5 or greater. Abstracts for economic analyses from asco, ash, and ispor meetings were reviewed and assigned a quality score. RESULTS: Of 99 experts, 50 (51%) responded to the survey (average age: 53 years; 78% men; 54% from the United States, 28% from Europe, 18% from Canada). In total, 216 abstracts were reviewed: asco, 53%; ash, 14%; and ispor, 33%. The median quality score was 75, but notable deficiencies were observed. Cost perspective was reported in only 61% of abstracts, and time horizon was described in only 47%. Abstracts from recent years demonstrated better quality scores. We also observed disparities in quality scores for various cancer sites (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The quality of conference abstracts for economic analyses in oncology has room for improvement. Abstracts may be enhanced using the guidelines derived from our survey of experts.

Real-world Safety of Bevacizumab with First-line Combination Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Population-based Retrospective Cohort Studies in Three Canadian Provinces.

AIMS: To examine the real-world safety of adding bevacizumab to first-line irinotecan-based chemotherapy for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with CRC in three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia) who received publicly funded bevacizumab and/or irinotecan from 2000 to 2016 were identified from cancer registries. Propensity score 1:1 matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were performed to contemporaneous and historical controls, adjusting for baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. Safety end points evaluated during first-line treatment plus 30 days included mortality within 30 days and all-cause-, chemotherapy- and bevacizumab-related hospitalisations. Chemotherapy- and bevacizumab-related visits were defined as hospitalisations for specific conditions commonly associated with chemotherapy (e.g. infections) or bevacizumab (e.g. arteriovenous thromboembolism) using most responsible diagnosis codes. In PSM and IPTW-weighted cohorts, we assessed event frequencies using odds ratios from logistic regressions and event rate ratios using negative binomial regression models. The results from each province and comparison were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: We identified 16 250 mCRC patients who received first-line irinotecan-based treatment. In PSM cohorts, bevacizumab was associated with fewer deaths within 30 days of treatment compared with contemporaneous (pooled odds ratio = 0.62; 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.75) and historical controls (pooled odds ratio = 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.58-0.93). Hospitalisations were more frequent among patients treated with bevacizumab compared with historical controls but similar to contemporaneous controls. As patients receiving bevacizumab were exposed to a longer average treatment duration, across their full treatment duration, patients receiving bevacizumab had significantly lower rates of hospitalisations (contemporaneous pooled rate ratio = 0.56; 95% confidence interval 0.47-0.67; historical pooled rate ratio = 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.95). Similar trends were observed for chemotherapy- and bevacizumab-related hospitalisations and in IPTW-weighted cohorts. DISCUSSION: We did not observe any increase in rates of hospitalisation or death within 30 days of treatment among mCRC patients treated with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone; these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the risk of residual confounding.

Safety of the use of gold nanoparticles conjugated with proinsulin peptide and administered by hollow microneedles as an immunotherapy in type 1 diabetes.

Antigen-specific immunotherapy is an immunomodulatory strategy for autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, in which patients are treated with autoantigens to promote immune tolerance, stop autoimmune ß-cell destruction and prevent permanent dependence on exogenous insulin. In this study, human proinsulin peptide C19-A3 (known for its positive safety profile) was conjugated to ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (GNPs), an attractive drug delivery platform due to the potential anti-inflammatory properties of gold. We hypothesised that microneedle intradermal delivery of C19-A3 GNP may improve peptide pharmacokinetics and induce tolerogenic immunomodulation and proceeded to evaluate its safety and feasibility in a first-in-human trial. Allowing for the limitation of the small number of participants, intradermal administration of C19-A3 GNP appears safe and well tolerated in participants with type 1 diabetes. The associated prolonged skin retention of C19-A3 GNP after intradermal administration offers a number of possibilities to enhance its tolerogenic potential, which should be explored in future studies.

Quality of life in a real-world study of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with trifluridine/tipiracil.

Background: Quality of life (qol) is important for oncology patients, especially for those with late-stage disease. The present study was initiated to address the lack of published prospective data about the qol benefits of trifluridine/tipiracil (ftd/tpi) compared with best supportive care (bsc) in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mcrc). Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional, non-interventional study used multidimensional validated scales to evaluate patient-reported qol in two study cohorts of patients and also to measure differences in mcrc-related symptoms and pain in a real-world clinical setting. Results: Our findings demonstrate that patients with refractory mcrc report better overall qol when treated with ftd/tpi than with bsc alone. In that population, statistically significant differences in mean qol measures favoured ftd/tpi over bsc for physical symptom distress, psychological distress, activity impairment, overall valuation of life, and symptomatology. The overall better qol for patients receiving ftd/tpi implies that treatment was well tolerated and was associated with a lower symptom burden. No significant differences for pain were observed between the groups. Conclusions: This study suggests that ftd/tpi is a well-tolerated option for the treatment of patients with refractory mcrc, showcasing the value of capturing real-world qol data in routine clinical practice.

Subtype-specific risk factors for postmenopausal breast cancer: findings from the PLCO trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this analysis is to evaluate the relative weight of different epidemiological risk factors on the development of different breast cancer subtypes (i.e. luminal, Her2+ overexpressed or triple negative). METHODS: De-identified datasets of female participants recruited within the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) trial were accessed. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was utilized to assess factors affecting the development of breast cancer (regardless of subtype). Additional multivariate analyses were conducted to assess factors affecting the development of the three principal subtypes of breast cancer (ER+/Her2- breast cancer; Her2 overexpressed breast cancer and ER-/Her2- breast cancer). RESULTS: A total of 73,570 eligible participants were evaluated in the current analysis of which 2370 participants subsequently developed breast cancer. The following factors were associated with a higher risk of ER+/Her2- breast cancer: white race (P < 0.001), nulliparity (P < 0.001), higher body mass index (P = 0.003), prior exposure to hormone treatment (P = 0.004) and breast cancer in first-degree female relatives (P < 0.001). The following factors were associated with a higher risk of Her2 overexpressed breast cancer: prior exposure to hormone treatment (P = 0.002) and breast cancer in first-degree female relatives (P = 0.001). The following factors were associated with a higher risk of ER-/Her2- breast cancer: black race (P = 0.013), younger age (P = 0.017) and breast cancer in first-degree female relatives (P 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: There is considerable heterogeneity in risk factors among patients with different subtypes of breast cancer. In particular, factors associated with high estrogen levels seem to be associated with luminal breast cancer rather than other breast cancer subtypes.

A catalyst for transforming health systems and person-centred care: Canadian national position statement on patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (pros) are essential to capture the patient's perspective and to influence care. Although pros and pro measures are known to have many important benefits, they are not consistently being used and there is there no Canadian pros oversight. The Position Statement presented here is the first step toward supporting the implementation of pros in the Canadian health care setting. Methods: The Canadian pros National Steering Committee drafted position statements, which were submitted for stakeholder feedback before, during, and after the first National Canadian Patient Reported Outcomes (canpros) scientific conference, 14-15 November 2019 in Calgary, Alberta. In addition to the stakeholder feedback cycle, a patient advocate group submitted a section to capture the patient voice. Results: The canpros Position Statement is an outcome of the 2019 canpros scientific conference, with an oncology focus. The Position Statement is categorized into 6 sections covering 4 theme areas: Patient and Families, Health Policy, Clinical Implementation, and Research. The patient voice perfectly mirrors the recommendations that the experts reached by consensus and provides an overriding impetus for the use of pros in health care. Conclusions: Although our vision of pros transforming the health care system to be more patient-centred is still aspirational, the Position Statement presented here takes a first step toward providing recommendations in key areas to align Canadian efforts. The Position Statement is directed toward a health policy audience; future iterations will target other audiences, including researchers, clinicians, and patients. Our intent is that future versions will broaden the focus to include chronic diseases beyond cancer.

Immunocytochemical localization of calmodulin and a heat-labile calmodulin-binding protein (CaM-BP80) in basal ganglia of mouse brain.

Antisera to calmodulin, a Ca2%-dependent modulator protein, and a heat-labile calmodulin-binding protein have been used to localize these proteins in mouse caudate-putamen. The two proteins appear to be located at identical sites in this brain area. At the light microscopic level, calmodulin and calmodulin-binding protein are found within the cytoplasm and processes of large cells. At the electron microscopic level the proteins are associated with neuronal elements only, primarily at postsynaptic sites within neuronal somata and dendrites. Within the dendrites the immunocytochemical label is associated predominantly with the postsynaptic density and dendritic microtubules. These results are in accord with recent biochemical and immunihistochemical studies of calmodulin in brain and in dividing cells. Thus, calmodulin and the heat-labile calmodulin-binding protein may play a role in the nervous system at the site of neurotransmitter action and at the level of microtubular function.