Incidence and clinical pattern of contralateral synchronous and metachronous germ cell testicular cancer.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of a second testicular tumor is higher in patients diagnosed with testicular cancer than in the general population. As incidence of unilateral germ cell cancer is increasing worldwide and most of these patients are cured, a growing number of patients at risk of developing a contralateral testis cancer is expected. OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical and histological characteristics, as well as the absolute and cumulative incidence of a second testicular cancer in a cohort of 3,834 patients diagnosed with germ cell testicular cancer between I/1994 and I/2018 in 18 referral hospitals of the Spanish Germ Cell Cancer Group. METHODS: Patients were treated according to stage and year of diagnoses. Contralateral testis biopsy was not routinely performed, according to European Association of Urology rules. Follow-up of the contra lateral testis consists of a physical exam only and an annual optional testicular ultrasound for 10 years. RESULTS: Median age of the patients included was 32 years (18-82). With a median follow-up of 61 months (0-240), 67/3,834 patients (1.74%) were diagnosed with a second testicular tumor. The second testicular tumor was synchronic (diagnosed within 6 months of the first orchiectomy) in 19 patients, and metachronous in 48. Pathology of the second tumor was reported as a seminomatous testis tumor in 47 patients and a nonseminomatous cancer in 20. Cumulative incidence of contralateral testicular cancer was 2% at 5 years, and 4% (IC 95% 3%-5%) at 14 years. Younger age was a risk factor for developing a second testicular tumor (P = 0.006), whereas chemotherapy reduced the risk for a metachronous testicular cancer (P = 0.046). Within our cohort, 6 families with testicular cancer aggregation (more than 2 tumors in the same family) were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of second testicular neoplasm in this cohort of 3,834 patients was similar to that which has been reported in other countries. Metachronous tumors and seminomas are more common. Follow-up of the contralateral testis is mandatory, as well as adequate information for patients to prevent a second neoplasm if feasible, and to detect and treat it as soon as possible.

Chemoradiation of rectal cancer.

The treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer is a challenge. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy comprise the multimodal therapy that is administered in most cases. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is required. Because this cancer has a high rate of local recurrence, efforts have been made to improve clinical outcomes while minimizing toxicity and maintaining quality of life. Thus, total mesorectal excision technique was developed as the standard surgery, and chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been established as neoadjuvant treatment. Both approaches reduce locoregional relapse. Two neoadjuvant treatments have emerged as standards of care: short-course radiotherapy and long-course chemoradiotherapy with fluoropyrimidines; however, long-course chemoradiotherapy might be more appropriate for low-lying neoplasias, bulky tumours or tumours with near-circumferential margins. If neoadjuvant treatment is not administered and locally advanced stage is demonstrated in surgical specimens, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy is recommended. The addition of chemotherapy to the treatment regimen confers a significant benefit. Adjuvant chemotherapy is widely accepted despite scarce evidence of its benefit. The optimal time for surgery after neoadjuvant therapy, the treatment of low-risk T3N0 neoplasms, the convenience of avoiding radiotherapy in some cases and tailoring treatment to pathological response have been recurrent subjects of debate that warrant more extensive research. Adding new drugs, changing the treatment sequence and selecting the treatment based on prognostic or predictive factors other than stage remain experimental.

First evidence of oncologic neuropathic pain prevalence after screening 8615 cancer patients. Results of the On study.

BACKGROUND: Thirty percent to ninety percent of cancer patients suffer from pain, including neuropathic pain (NP), which results in great burden for cancer patients. Thus, it was of great interest to determine NP prevalence in cancer patients in Spain, to raise awareness of the condition, and aiming to improve management of cancer NP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 1-month follow-up prospective epidemiological multicenter study was conducted to assess prevalence and management of NP in Spanish oncologic units. The first 10 cancer patients at each unit diagnosed with NP by the validated Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire (DN4) were recruited. RESULTS: Of 8615 screened patients, 2567 (30%) suffered from pain. From these, 33% had NP according to investigators and 19% according to DN4 test. Three hundred and sixty-six patients (mean age 62.6 years; 61.2% male) were recruited. Pain decrease at 1 month was greater in patients with metastases (P<0.01) and depended on treatment (P<0.05), with 'oxycodone' showing 50.4% pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: NP prevalence in cancer pain is 33%. DN4 reports only about half the cancer NP cases diagnosed by clinicians. Pharmaceutical treatment of cancer pain, including NP, has a greater effect in patients with metastases and seems to depend on the specific treatment used.

[Chemotherapy with cisplatin, adriamycin, etoposide and ifosfamide in microcytic lung carcinoma]. / Quimioterapia con cisplatino, adriamicina, etopósido e ifosfamida en el carcinoma microcítico pulmonar.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the results obtained in the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with the PAVI chemotherapy protocol (cisplatin, adriamycin, etoposide and ifosfamide). METHODS: Over a period of 3 years, 41 patients with a mean age of 57 years were treated. Twenty-two patients were considered as having limited disease (LD) and 19 disseminated disease (DD). Survival was studied by the Kaplan and Meier method. RESULTS: The percentage of complete response (CR) achieved was 42%, LD 52% and 27% for DD, with partial responses (PR) being achieved in 50%, 43% in LD and 60% in DD. With a mean follow up of 32 months, the mean 2 length of response was 13 months in the patients with CR and 9 months in those with PR. The median of survival in LD was 22 months and 10 months for patients with DD. Prolonged survival of over 2 years, was only achieved in LD (16%). Five patients died in relation with the treatment. Hematologic toxicity was doses-limited with the greatest toxicity being found in patients with DD under the Karnofsky index (KI). CONCLUSIONS: The PAVI protocol is effective in the treatment of small cell lung cancer and a good median of survival may be achieved in patients with limited disease. Toxicity is elevated and is fundamentally found in patients with disseminated disease and under the Karnofsky index, with its use not being recommended in these cases.