SPARC - A multi-disciplinary team program for retroperitoneal sarcoma: the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Chris O'Brien Lifehouse Collaboration.

BACKGROUND: The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) and Chris O'Brien Lifehouse (COBLH) established a formal Sarcoma of the Pelvic and Abdominal Retroperitoneum Collaboration (SPARC) in November 2020. An established multidisciplinary team (MDT) with the aims to centralise patient referrals and treatment, establish database and research, coordinate surgical resections is critical in improving patient outcomes and quality of life. METHODS: A prospective database was established in October 2021. Clinical, pathological and radiological data points were recorded for all patients since the inception of SPARC. Quality of Life questionnaires were included and follow-up planned regularly for 5 years. RESULTS: From November 2020 to Feb 2024, 294 new referrals were discussed at the MDT meeting. Majority were from the metropolitan area (182) followed by regional NSW (87), interstate (20) and five internationals. 141 operations were performed during this period compared to 119 operations from 2010 to November 2020 in RPAH. The inception of the SPARC program has resulted in exponential growth in operations, improving from the previous rate of 15 cases annually to 35. Liposarcomas followed by leiomyosarcomas are the most common types of sarcomas resected. The majority were extended resections (81.6%) and 22% were pelvic exenterations. Overall R0 rate is 54.6%, R1 38.3% and R2 1.4% (131 (92.9%) had R0/R1 resections. Overall complication rate is 35.5% with one in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Success and expansion of a robust retroperitoneal sarcoma program requires a collaborative surgical approach, an MDT meeting, centralized referral process, and a research team in specialized tertiary institutions.

Impact of teratoma on survival probabilities of patients with metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell cancer: Results from the IGCCCG Update Consortium.

AIMS: To resolve the ongoing controversy surrounding the impact of teratoma (TER) in the primary among patients with metastatic testicular non-seminomatous germ-cell tumours (NSGCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using the International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) Update Consortium database, we compared the survival probabilities of patients with metastatic testicular GCT with TER (TER) or without TER (NTER) in their primaries corrected for known prognostic factors. Progression-free survival (5y-PFS) and overall survival at 5 years (5y-OS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Among 6792 patients with metastatic testicular NSGCT, 3224 (47%) had TER in their primary, and 3568 (53%) did not. In the IGCCCG good prognosis group, the 5y-PFS was 87.8% in TER versus 92.0% in NTER patients (p = 0.0001), the respective 5y-OS were 94.5% versus 96.5% (p = 0.0032). The corresponding figures in the intermediate prognosis group were 5y-PFS 76.9% versus 81.6% (p = 0.0432) in TER and NTER and 5y-OS 90.4% versus 90.9% (p = 0.8514), respectively. In the poor prognosis group, there was no difference, neither in 5y-PFS [54.3% in TER patients versus 55.4% (p = 0.7472) in NTER], nor in 5y-OS [69.4% versus 67.7% (p = 0.3841)]. NSGCT patients with TER had more residual masses (65.3% versus 51.7%, p < 0.0001), and therefore received post-chemotherapy surgery more frequently than NTER patients (46.8% versus 32.0%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Teratoma in the primary tumour of patients with metastatic NSGCT negatively impacts on survival in the good and intermediate, but not in the poor IGCCCG prognostic groups.

Retrospective analysis of clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with carcinoma of unknown primary from three tertiary centers in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) remains an important tumor entity and a disproportionate cause of cancer mortality. Little is known about the contemporary clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of CUP patients based on updated international classification guidelines. We evaluated a contemporary CUP cohort to provide insight into current clinical practice and the impact of tissue of origin assignment, site-specific and empirical therapy in a real-world setting. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of CUP patients, as defined by the updated European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2023 guidelines, across three tertiary referral centers in Australia between 2015 and 2022. We analyzed clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression proportional hazard model between favorable and unfavorable risk groups. RESULTS: We identified a total of 123 CUP patients (n = 86 unfavorable, n = 37 favorable risk as per the 2023 ESMO guidelines). Sixty-four patients (52%) were assigned a tissue of origin by the treating clinician. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 6.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.1-12.1) months and overall survival (OS) 10.2 (95% CI 6.0-18.5) months. Unfavorable risk (hazard ratio [HR] 2.9, p = 0.006), poor performance status (HR 2.8, p < 0.001), and non-squamous histology (HR 2.5, p < 0.05) were associated with poor survival outcome. A total of 70 patients (57%) proceeded to systemic therapy. In patients with non-squamous histology and unfavorable risk, site-specific therapy compared to empirical chemotherapy did not improve outcome (median OS 8.2 vs. 11.8 months, p = 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world cohort, CUP presentations were heterogenous. Overall survival and rates of systemic treatment were poor. Poor performance status and unfavorable risk were associated with worse survival. For most patients, site-specific therapy did not improve survival outcome. Improved and timely access to diagnostic tests and therapeutics for this group of patients is urgently required.

Robotic-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for stage II testicular cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the perioperative as well as early oncological outcomes of patients undergoing robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for treatment of testicular cancer. Methods: We conducted a prospective consecutive case series of patients undergoing robotic assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for metastatic testicular cancer between May 2018 and July 2021 at our institution. Data were collected on patient and tumour characteristics, intraoperative and postoperative parameters, and functional and oncological outcomes. Descriptive statistics are presented. Results: Nineteen patients were identified; 18 (94.7%) completed the procedure robotically and one was converted to open surgery; 78.9% of patients had stage ≥IIB and 12 (63.2%) patients had undergone prior chemotherapy. The median operative time was 300 (interquartile range [IQR] 240-315) min. Median blood loss was 100 (IQR 50-175) mL. Median length of stay was 2 (range 1-11) days. All robotically completed patients commenced diet and passed flatus on Day 1 and were discharged by Day 3. The median lymph node yield was 40.5 (IQR 38-51) nodes. All patients undergoing nerve-sparing procedures recovered antegrade ejaculatory function. One patient had a Clavien-Dindo III complication (chylous ascites requiring drainage). At a median follow-up of 22.3 (IQR 16.3-24.9) months, one patient developed retroperitoneal recurrence, which was successfully treated with second-line chemotherapy; no other patients have had recurrences. Conclusion: Robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is a safe and feasible alternative to open surgery in appropriately selected patients, offering low morbidity. Early oncological outcomes are promising. Larger cohorts and longer follow-ups are required to validate our institution's findings.

High-dose chemotherapy for Ewing sarcoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma: A systematic review by the Australia and New Zealand sarcoma association clinical practice guidelines working party.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with high-risk or metastatic Ewing sarcoma (ES) and rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) have a guarded prognosis. High-dose chemotherapy (HDT) with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has been evaluated as a treatment option to improve outcomes. However, survival benefits remain unclear, and treatment is associated with severe toxicities. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted, using the population, intervention, comparison outcome (PICO) model, to evaluate whether utilization of HDT/ASCT impacts the outcome of patients with ES and RMS compared to standard chemotherapy alone, as part of first line treatment or in the relapse setting. Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central were queried for publications from 1990 to October 2022 that evaluated event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicities. Each study was screened by two independent reviewers for suitability. A qualitative synthesis of the results was performed. RESULTS: Of 1,172 unique studies screened, 41 studies were eligible for inclusion with 29 studies considering ES, 10 studies considering RMS and 2 studies considering both. In ES patients with high-risk localised disease who received HDT/ASCT after VIDE chemotherapy, consolidation with melphalan-based HDT/ASCT as first line therapy conveyed an EFS and OS benefit over standard chemotherapy consolidation. Efficacy of HDT/ASCT using a VDC/IE backbone, which is now standard care, has not been established. Survival benefits are not confirmed for ES patients with metastatic disease at initial diagnosis. For relapsed/refractory ES, four retrospective studies report improvement in outcomes with HDT/ASCT with the greatest evidence in patients who demonstrate a treatment response before HDT, and in patients under the age of 14. In RMS, there is no proven survival benefit of HDT/ASCT in primary localised, metastatic or relapsed disease. CONCLUSION: Prospective randomised trials are required to determine the utility of HDT/ASCT in ES and RMS. Selected patients with relapsed ES could be considered for HDT/ASCT.

Impact of Pain on Symptom Burden in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) affects the quality of life of cancer survivors. However, the impact of pain on symptom burden remains undefined. This study aimed to define differences in the clinical symptom profile of patients with painful and nonpainful CIPN. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 579 participants (median age, 59 years [IQR, 19 years]; F=66%) were assessed cross-sectionally 6 months posttreatment. CIPN severity was graded using multiple methods, including patient-reported outcome measures, a clinically graded scale (NCI-CTCAE), and a neurologic examination score. Participants were classified into subgroups based on patient symptom report, with painful CIPN characterized by the presence of shooting/burning pain, and nonpainful CIPN characterized by the presence of numbness or tingling without shooting/burning pain. Behavioral changes were assessed via structured patient interview regarding symptom impact on sleep, exercise, and treatment-seeking. RESULTS: Among 579 participants, 24% (n=140) reported painful CIPN, 48% (n=280) reported nonpainful CIPN, and 28% (n=159) had no CIPN. Participants with painful CIPN demonstrated higher CIPN severity than those with nonpainful CIPN across multiple measures, including NCI-CTCAE, neurologic grading, and patient report (all P<.05). Participants with painful CIPN were more likely to report that their symptoms affected their ability to exercise (P=.007), produced sleep impairment, and increased treatment-seeking behavior due to their symptoms (both P<.001) compared with participants with nonpainful CIPN. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, participants with painful CIPN reported higher scores across all CIPN severity measures, including behavioral changes. This study underlines the need for accurate identification of different CIPN subgroups in hopes of informing better treatment and rehabilitation options for cancer survivors with painful CIPN.

Electroacupuncture use for treatment of taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with breast cancer: protocol for a pilot, randomised, blinded, sham-controlled trial (EA for CIPN).

INTRODUCTION: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common dose-limiting side effect of neurotoxic chemotherapy. Acute symptoms of CIPN during treatment can lead to dose reduction and cessation. Trials using electroacupuncture (EA) to treat established CIPN postchemotherapy have shown some efficacy. The current trial aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of using EA to treat CIPN during chemotherapy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The current study is a single-centre, 1:1 randomised, sham-controlled pilot study set in a tertiary cancer hospital in Sydney, Australia, and will recruit 40 adult patients with early breast cancer undergoing adjuvant or neoadjuvant paclitaxel chemotherapy. Patients who develop CIPN within the first 6 weeks of chemotherapy will receive either true EA or sham-EA once a week for 10 weeks. The coprimary endpoints are recruitment and adherence rate, successful blinding of patients and compliance with the follow-up period. Secondary endpoints are mean change of CIPN symptoms from randomisation to end of treatment, sustained change in CIPN symptoms at 8-week and 24-week follow-up postchemotherapy, proportion of subjects attaining completion of 12 weeks of chemotherapy without dose reduction or cessation, change in acupuncture expectancy response pretreatment, during treatment and posttreatment. The primary assessment tool for the secondary endpoints will be a validated patient-reported outcome measure (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy) captured weekly from randomisation to week 12 of chemotherapy. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol (2021/ETH12123) has been approved by the institutional Human Research Ethics Committee at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney and Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. Informed consent will be obtained prior to starting study-related procedures. The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12622000081718.

Upper-limb dysfunction in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity.

INTRODUCTION: Upper-limb symptoms are often reported in the context of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN), but objective quantification of functional deficits is often lacking. We examined and compared a range of neurophysiological and functional assessments of the upper-limb in the assessment of CIPN severity. METHODS: Cross-sectional assessment of neurotoxic chemotherapy-treated patients was undertaken using patient-reported and clinically-graded CIPN measures. Upper-limb functional assessments comprised of assessing fine motor skills, sensory perception, and neurophysiological measures of the median nerve. Group comparisons between participants who reported absence or presence of upper-limb functional deficits were investigated. RESULTS: 60 participants who were 11.5 (IQR = 4.0-26.0) months post-neurotoxic chemotherapy treatment reported CIPN. 65% (n = 39) reported upper-limb CIPN symptoms. Reduction in fine motor skills, sensory perception and median nerve SNAP amplitudes were associated with higher CIPN severity. Participants who self-reported presence of upper-limb functional deficits had worse CIPN severity across all measures, compared to participants who reported no upper-limb functional deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Participants who reported upper-limb symptoms and functional deficits had worse CIPN severity and quality-of-life. There is a high burden of upper-limb dysfunction long after neurotoxic chemotherapy treatment cessation. Focus on research into supportive care and rehabilitation options to improve upper-limb function is warranted to improve patient quality-of-life.

A systematic review of the role of chemotherapy in retroperitoneal sarcoma by the Australia and New Zealand sarcoma association clinical practice guidelines working party.

BACKGROUND: In primary localised resectable retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS), loco-regional and distant relapse occur frequently despite optimal surgical management. The role of chemotherapy in improving outcomes is unclear. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted, using the population, intervention, comparison outcome (PICO) model, to evaluate whether neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy improve outcomes in adults with primary localised resectable RPS. Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central were queried for publications from 1946 to June 2022 that evaluated recurrence free survival, overall survival, and post operative complications. Each study was screened by two independent reviewers for suitability. A qualitative synthesis of the results was performed. RESULTS: Twenty three studies were identified; one meta-analysis of retrospective studies and 22 retrospective studies including three with propensity matched cohorts. Most studies did not analyse outcomes by histology, detail treatment regimens, provide baseline characteristics or selection criteria for those receiving chemotherapy. Evidence of selection bias was illustrated in several studies. Newcastle-Ottawa quality of retrospective cohort studies was good for 12 studies and poor for 10 studies. All studies were assessed as Level III-2 evidence by the Australian NHMRC hierarchy. Overall, the addition of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy to surgery was not associated with improvement in local recurrence, metastasis free survival, disease free survival or overall survival in primary localised resectable RPS. There is some evidence of an association of chemotherapy with worse overall survival. One single centre study showed that neoadjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with increased post operative complications compared to surgery alone in primary localised resectable RPS. CONCLUSIONS: There is currently no evidence that demonstrates the addition of chemotherapy to surgery improves outcomes in adult patients with primary localised resectable RPS. Available evidence is limited by its retrospective nature and high likelihood of selection bias with chemotherapy generally administered to patients at higher risk of recurrence and many patients not receiving care in high volume sarcoma centres. Randomised trials are required to conclusively determine the role of chemotherapy in primary localised resectable RPS.

Sleep dysfunction associated with worse chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity functional outcomes.

PURPOSE: Sleep problems are commonly reported by cancer survivors; however, knowledge of the impact of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) on sleep quality remains limited. In this study, we explored the impact of CIPN on sleep quality, as well as identified clinical characteristics associated with poor sleep quality. METHODS: Participants were assessed cross-sectionally post-neurotoxic chemotherapy. CIPN severity was graded using a range of questionnaires that assessed CIPN severity and quality of life, as well as neurological grading scales. Sleep quality was assessed using a self-rated questionnaire (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI). Participants with poor sleep quality were further grouped according to whether sleep impairment was due to CIPN or other factors. RESULTS: Among 77 participants who reported CIPN, 75% (n = 58) reported poor sleep quality. Of those, 41% (n = 24) reported CIPN as contributing to sleep impairment, while 59% (n = 34) reported other causes. Participants with CIPN-induced sleep impairments had higher CIPN severity across all outcome measures, as well as greater neuropathic pain (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, participants with CIPN-induced sleep impairments reported worse impact of neuropathy on physical and social functioning, as well as emotional well-being (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Participants with CIPN-induced poor sleep quality reported worse scores across all CIPN severity measures. This emphasises the negative impacts of CIPN symptoms on quality of life of chemotherapy-treated patients and highlights the importance of sleep quality assessment in cancer survivors.

Accuracy of oncologists' estimates of expected survival time in advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the claim that oncologists overestimate expected survival time (EST) in advanced cancer. METHODS: We pooled 7 prospective studies in which observed survival time (OST) was compared with EST (median survival in a group of similar patients estimated at baseline by the treating oncologist). We hypothesized that EST would be well calibrated (approximately 50% of EST longer than OST) and imprecise (<30% of EST within 0.67 to 1.33 of OST), and that multiples of EST would provide well-calibrated scenarios for survival time: worst-case (approximately 10% of OST <1/4 of EST), typical (approximately 50% of OST within half to double EST), and best-case (approximately 10% of OST >3 times EST). Associations between baseline characteristics and calibration of EST were assessed. RESULTS: Characteristics of 1,211 patients: median age 66 years, male 61%, primary site lung (40%) and upper gastrointestinal (16%). The median OST was 8 months, and EST was 9 months. Oncologists' estimates of EST were well calibrated (50% longer than OST) and imprecise (28% within 0.67 to 1.33 of OST). Scenarios for survival time based on simple multiples of EST were well calibrated: 8% of patients had an OST less than 1/4 their EST (worst-case), 56% had an OST within half to double their EST (typical), and 11% had an OST greater than 3 times their EST (best-case). Calibration was independent of age, sex, and cancer type. CONCLUSIONS: Oncologists were no more likely to overestimate survival time than to underestimate it. Simple multiples of EST provide well-calibrated estimates of worst-case, typical, and best-case scenarios for survival.

Pembrolizumab with Chemoradiation as Treatment for Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: Analysis of Safety and Efficacy of the PCR-MIB Phase 2 Clinical Trial (ANZUP 1502).

BACKGROUND: Radiation may improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition. This study investigates the combination of pembrolizumab and chemoradiation (CRT) for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility and safety of pembrolizumab combined with CRT for MIBC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A single-arm phase 2 trial was performed with 28 participants having cT2-T4aN0M0 MIBC (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1; estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥40 ml/min; no contraindications to pembrolizumab) suitable for CRT. INTERVENTION: Whole bladder radiation therapy (RT; 64 Gy in 32 daily fractions, over 6.5 wk, combined with cisplatin (35 mg/m2 intravenously [IV] weekly, six doses) and pembrolizumab (200 mg IV q3 weeks, seven doses), both starting with RT. Surveillance cystoscopy/biopsy and computerised tomography scans performed 12 and 24 wk after CRT. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The primary endpoint was feasibility, determined by a prespecified satisfactory low rate of grade 3 or worse nonurinary toxicity or completion of planned CRT according to defined parameters. Secondary endpoints were complete cystoscopic response, locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled with a 31-mo median follow-up. Six had Grade >3 nonurinary adverse events during/within 12 wk after treatment; three had more than one cisplatin dose reduction. The 24-wk post-CRT complete response (CR) rate was 88%. Eight patients developed metastatic disease, and three had nonmetastatic progression. The DMFS at 2 yr is 78% (95% confidence interval [CI] 54-90%), with LRPFS at 2 yr of 87% (95% CI 64-96%) and median OS of 39 mo (95% CI 17.1-not evaluable). Limitations are the single-arm design and sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Combining pembrolizumab with CRT for MIBC was feasible, with manageable toxicity and promising CR rates. PATIENT SUMMARY: Immunotherapy treats nonmetastatic/metastatic bladder cancer effectively. We combined pembrolizumab with chemotherapy and radiation to assess its safety and impact on treatment delivery. The combination was feasible with encouraging early activity. Further larger trials are warranted.

Association of chemotherapy dose intensity and age with outcomes in patients with Ewing's family sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Ewing's family sarcoma (EFS) is an aggressive malignancy with a peak incidence in adolescents. Multimodal treatment involves surgery and/or radiotherapy, and chemotherapy typically with VDC/IE (vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide alternating with ifosfamide and etoposide). There is a paucity of data for the treatment of adults, with protocols extrapolated from the pediatric setting. This study aimed to assess patterns of care, chemotherapy tolerability across age groups, and outcomes from four Australian sarcoma centers. METHODS: ANZSA ACCORD sarcoma database and medical records were used to identify and collect data of patients aged ≥ 10 years with EFS who received VDC/IE between 2010 and 2020. Survival outcomes were analyzed based on chemotherapy received dose intensity (RDI). Clinical predictors of RDI were explored using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 146 patients with EFS, 76 received VDC/IE. The majority had localized disease (65%). Seventy-one percent completed scheduled chemotherapy, with some requiring dose reduction (29%), delay > 7 days (65%), or cycle omission (4%). Hematological toxicity was the main reason for dose reduction/delay. Fifty-seven percent patients achieved an acceptable RDI ≥85%. Compared to those aged 10-19, the odds ratio for acceptable RDI aged 40-59 was 0.20 (95% CI 0.04-0.86, p = 0.04). RDI was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival, after accounting for age, gender, Ewing's type, primary site, and stage (adjusted HR 0.25 [95% CI 0.10-0.63], p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Survival outcomes in EFS were associated with chemotherapy RDI. Older adults more commonly required dose reduction or early cessation of treatment due to toxicity. VDC/IE chemotherapy should be carefully tailored in adults > 40 years.

Prognostic value of patient reported outcomes in advanced gastro-oesophageal cancer: a systematic review.

To summarise the prognostic value of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in advanced gastro-oesophageal (GO) cancer. We systematically searched multiple databases using search terms related to advanced GO cancer, PRO and prognosis. Studies examining the relationship between baseline PROs and prognosis were included. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data on study design, survival and associations between PROs and survival, in both univariable and multivariable analyses. QUIPS was used for quality assessment. From 3004 studies screened, seven studies were eligible, comprising PRO data from 2761 of 3408 (81%) participants. Median survival times ranged from 4.5 to 9.5 months. Among participants with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), physical functioning, social functioning and fatigue (QLQ-C30) were associated with overall survival (OS) in one univariable analysis. Among three studies of participants with adenocarcinoma, univariable analyses revealed associations between OS and global quality of life (QOL), physical functioning, role functioning and social functioning; two studies showed association with pain. There was an association between emotional functioning, fatigue, lack of mobility, lack of self-care, appetite loss/anorexia and OS in one study. One multivariable analysis among participants with oesophageal SCC showed physical and social functioning was associated with OS. Among participants with adenocarcinoma, multivariable analyses showed associations between OS and physical functioning/lack of mobility, appetite loss/anorexia (three studies), global QOL, role functioning/lack of self-care, pain (two studies) and social functioning (one study). Physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, pain, anorexia and global QOL were associated with OS in advanced GO cancer.

Patterns of Relapse in Australian Patients With Clinical Stage 1 Testicular Cancer: Utility of the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group Surveillance Recommendations.

PURPOSE: International guidelines advocate for active surveillance as the preferred treatment strategy for patients with stage 1 testicular cancer after orchidectomy although a personalized discussion is required. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an analysis of individuals registered in iTestis, Australia's testicular cancer registry, to describe the patterns of relapse and outcomes of patients treated in Australia where the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group Surveillance Recommendations are widely adopted. RESULTS: A total of 650 individuals diagnosed between 2000 and 2020 were included, 63% (411 of 650) seminoma and 37% (239 of 650) nonseminoma. The median age was 34 years (range 14-74). 26% (106 of 411) with seminoma and 15% (36 of 239) nonseminoma received adjuvant chemotherapy. After a median follow-up of 43 months (range 0-267) postorchidectomy, relapse occurred in 10% (43 of 411) of seminoma and 18% (43 of 239) of nonseminoma. The two-year relapse-free survival was 92% (95% CI, 89 to 95) and 82% (95% CI, 78 to 87) in seminoma and nonseminoma, respectively. All relapses (86 of 86) were detected at a routine surveillance visit; 98% (85 of 86) were asymptomatic and detected solely through imaging (62 of 86, 72%), tumor markers (6 of 86, 7%), or a combination (17 of 86, 20%). The most common relapse site was isolated retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy (53 of 86, 62%). No nonpulmonary visceral metastases occurred. At relapse, 98% (84 of 86) had International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) good prognosis; 2 of 86 intermediate prognosis (both nonseminoma). No deaths occurred. CONCLUSION: In our cohort of stage 1 testicular cancer, where national surveillance recommendations have been widely adopted, recurrences were detected at routine surveillance visits and, almost exclusively, asymptomatic with IGCCCG good-prognosis disease. This provides reassurance that active surveillance is safe.

Quantitative proteomic studies addressing unmet clinical needs in sarcoma.

Sarcoma is a rare and complex disease comprising over 80 malignant subtypes that is frequently characterized by poor prognosis. Challenges in clinical management include uncertainties in diagnosis and disease classification, limited prognostic and predictive biomarkers, incompletely understood disease heterogeneity among and within subtypes, lack of effective treatment options, and limited progress in identifying new drug targets and novel therapeutics. Proteomics refers to the study of the entire complement of proteins expressed in specific cells or tissues. Advances in proteomics have included the development of quantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based technologies which enable analysis of large numbers of proteins with relatively high throughput, enabling proteomics to be studied on a scale that has not previously been possible. Cellular function is determined by the levels of various proteins and their interactions, so proteomics offers the possibility of new insights into cancer biology. Sarcoma proteomics therefore has the potential to address some of the key current challenges described above, but it is still in its infancy. This review covers key quantitative proteomic sarcoma studies with findings that pertain to clinical utility. Proteomic methodologies that have been applied to human sarcoma research are briefly described, including recent advances in MS-based proteomic technology. We highlight studies that illustrate how proteomics may aid diagnosis and improve disease classification by distinguishing sarcoma histologies and identify distinct profiles within histological subtypes which may aid understanding of disease heterogeneity. We also review studies where proteomics has been applied to identify prognostic, predictive and therapeutic biomarkers. These studies traverse a range of histological subtypes including chordoma, Ewing sarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, myxofibrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Critical questions and unmet needs in sarcoma which can potentially be addressed with proteomics are outlined.

Effect of core versus enhanced implementation strategies on adherence to a clinical pathway for managing anxiety and depression in cancer patients in routine care: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Optimal strategies to facilitate implementation of evidence-based clinical pathways are unclear. We evaluated two implementation strategies (Core versus Enhanced) to facilitate implementation of a clinical pathway for the management of anxiety and depression in cancer patients (the ADAPT CP). METHODS: Twelve cancer services in NSW Australia were cluster randomised, stratified by service size, to the Core versus Enhanced implementation strategy. Each strategy was in place for 12 months, facilitating uptake of the ADAPT CP (the intervention being implemented). The Core strategy included a lead team with champions, staff training and awareness campaigns prior to implementation, plus access to feedback reports and telephone or online support during implementation. The Enhanced strategy included all Core supports plus monthly lead team meetings, and proactive, ongoing advice on managing barriers, staff training and awareness campaigns throughout implementation. All patients at participating sites were offered the ADAPT CP as part of routine care, and if agreeable, completed screening measures. They were allocated a severity step for anxiety/depression from one (minimal) to five (severe) and recommended management appropriate to their severity step. Multi-level mixed-effect regression analyses examined the effect of Core versus Enhanced implementation strategy on adherence to the ADAPT CP (binary primary outcome: adherent ≥ 70% of key ADAPT CP components achieved versus non-adherent < 70%), with continuous adherence as a secondary outcome. Interaction between study arm and anxiety/depression severity step was also explored. RESULTS: Of 1280 registered patients, 696 (54%) completed at least one screening. As patients were encouraged to re-screen, there were in total 1323 screening events (883 in Core and 440 in Enhanced services). The main effect of implementation strategy on adherence was non-significant in both binary and continuous analyses. Anxiety/depression step was significant, with adherence being higher for step 1 than for other steps (p = 0.001, OR = 0.05, 95% CI 0.02-0.10). The interaction between study arm and anxiety/depression step was significant (p = 0.02) in the continuous adherence analysis only: adherence was significantly higher (by 7.6% points (95% CI 0.08-15.1%) for step 3 in the Enhanced arm (p = .048) and trending to significance for step 4. DISCUSSION: These results support ongoing implementation effort for the first year of implementation to ensure successful uptake of new clinical pathways in over-burdened clinical services. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR Registration: ACTRN12617000411347 (Trial registered 22/03/2017; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372486&isReview=true ).

Accurate isolation and detection of circulating tumor cells using enrichment-free multiparametric high resolution imaging.

Introduction: The reliable and accurate detection of rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from cancer patient blood samples promises advantages in both research and clinical applications. Numerous CTC detection methods have been explored that rely on either the physical properties of CTCs such as density, size, charge, and/or their antigen expression profiles. Multiple factors can influence CTC recovery including blood processing method and time to processing. This study aimed to examine the accuracy and sensitivity of an enrichment-free method of isolating leukocytes (AccuCyte® system) followed by immunofluorescence staining and high-resolution imaging (CyteFinder® instrument) to detect CTCs. Method: Healthy human blood samples, spiked with cancer cells from cancer cell lines, as well as blood samples obtained from 4 subjects diagnosed with cancer (2 pancreatic, 1 thyroid, and 1 small cell lung) were processed using the AccuCyte-CyteFinder system to assess recovery rate, accuracy, and reliability over a range of processing times. Results: The AccuCyte-CyteFinder system was highly accurate (95.0%) at identifying cancer cells in spiked-in samples (in 7.5 mL of blood), even at low spiked-in numbers of 5 cells with high sensitivity (90%). The AccuCyte-CyteFinder recovery rate (90.9%) was significantly higher compared to recovery rates obtained by density gradient centrifugation (20.0%) and red blood cell lysis (52.0%). Reliable and comparable recovery was observed in spiked-in samples and in clinical blood samples processed up to 72 hours post-collection. Reviewer analysis of images from spiked-in and clinical samples resulted in high concordance (R-squared value of 0.998 and 0.984 respectively). Discussion: The AccuCyte-CyteFinder system is as an accurate, sensitive, and clinically practical method to detect and enumerate cancer cells. This system addresses some of the practical logistical challenges in incorporating CTCs as part of routine clinical care. This could facilitate the clinical use of CTCs in guiding precision, personalized medicine.

First-in-human study of oleclumab, a potent, selective anti-CD73 monoclonal antibody, alone or in combination with durvalumab in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: CD73 upregulation in tumors leads to local immunosuppression. This phase I, first-in-human study evaluated oleclumab (MEDI9447), an anti-CD73 human IgG1λ monoclonal antibody, alone or with durvalumab in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), or epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Patients received oleclumab 5-40 mg/kg (dose-escalation) or 40 mg/kg (dose-expansion) intravenously every 2 weeks (Q2W), alone (escalation only) or with durvalumab 10 mg/kg intravenously Q2W. RESULTS: 192 patients were enrolled, 66 during escalation and 126 (42 CRC, 42 PDAC, 42 NSCLC) during expansion. No dose-limiting toxicities occurred during escalation. In the monotherapy and combination therapy escalation cohorts, treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 55 and 54%, respectively, the most common being fatigue (17 and 25%). In the CRC, PDAC, and NSCLC expansion cohorts, 60, 57, and 45% of patients had TRAEs, respectively; the most common were fatigue (15%), diarrhea (9%), and rash (7%). Free soluble CD73 and CD73 expression on peripheral T cells and tumor cells showed sustained decreases, accompanied by reduced CD73 enzymatic activity in tumor cells. Objective response rate during escalation was 0%. Response rates in the CRC, PDAC, and NSCLC expansion cohorts were 2.4% (1 complete response [CR]), 4.8% (1 CR, 1 partial response [PR]), and 9.5% (4 PRs), respectively; 6-month progression-free survival rates were 5.4, 13.2, and 16.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Oleclumab ± durvalumab had a manageable safety profile, with pharmacodynamic activity reflecting oleclumab's mechanism of action. Evidence of antitumor activity was observed in tumor types that are generally immunotherapy resistant. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02503774; date of registration, July 17, 2015.