Poor oral health has been identified as a prognostic factor potentially affecting the survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, evidence to date supporting this association has emanated from studies based on single cohorts with small-to-modest sample sizes.
We extend our thanks to Lin and Lin for their insightful commentary on our study, “Transportation barriers, emergency room use, and mortality risk among U.S. ad
Patients undergoing antineoplastic therapies often exhibit reduced immune response to COVID-19 vaccination, necessitating assessment of alternate booster vaccination frequencies. However, data on reinfection risks to guide clinical decision making are limited. Here, we quantified reinfection risks for patients undergoing distinct antineoplastic therapies, given alternative...
T stage is a prognostic biomarker for overall survival in colon cancer and pathologic T4 disease is a high-risk characteristic. Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended to improve overall survival in pT4N0M0, but compliance with guidelines is unknown. We aimed to evaluate adjuvant chemotherapy use and impact on overall survival in pT4N0M0 colon cancer.
Overall survival is the optimal marker of treatment efficacy in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) but can take considerable time to mature. Progression-free survival (PFS) has served as an early surrogate of overall survival but is imperfect. Time to deterioration in quality of life (QOL) measures could be a surrogate for overall survival.
The burden of cancer and access to effective treatment are not experienced equally by all in the United States. For underserved populations that often access the health-care system when their cancers are in advanced disease stages, radiation oncology services are essential. In 2001, the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Radiation Research Program created and implemented the...
The optimal management of locally advanced rectal cancer is rapidly evolving. The National Cancer Institute Rectal-Anal Task Force convened an expert panel to develop consensus on the design of future clinical trials of patients with rectal cancer. A series of 82 questions and subquestions, which addressed radiation and neoadjuvant therapy, patient perceptions, rectal cancer...
In recent decades, oropharyngeal cancer incidence has increased, primarily among men in younger age groups (<60 years old) and in economically developed coun
The majority of new cancer cases occur in older adults. Geriatric assessment and management (or comprehensive geriatric assessment) refers to the use of various
Within oncology, the search for surrogate endpoints is motivated by the potential to shorten drug development and approval timelines, reduce costs, ease patient
We appreciate the letter by Dr Michael Jefford in response to our recent paper describing the quality of cancer survivorship framework. As he points out, we spe
Technological innovation can provide the opportunity to de-escalate treatments. Oncotype DX is considered a valid tool to promote a reduction in the use of chem
In 2013, the American Society for Radiation Oncology recommended against the routine use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in breast cancer patients. We evaluated trends in the use of IMRT before and after the release of the recommendation. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare data, we identified 13 457 breast cancer patients diagnosed between...
The development of noninvasive tests for the early detection of aggressive prostate tumors is a major unmet clinical need. miRNAs are promising noninvasive biomarkers: they play essential roles in tumorigenesis, are stable under diverse analytical conditions, and can be detected in body fluids.
Historically, the gold standard for evaluation of cancer therapeutics, including medical devices, has been the randomized clinical trial. Although high-quality clinical data are essential for safe and judicious use of therapeutic oncology devices, class II devices require only preclinical data for US Food and Drug Administration approval and are often not rigorously evaluated...
“Nothing of him that doth fadeBut doth suffer a sea-changeInto something rich and strange”
“Every disadvantage has its advantage” (elk nadeel heb z’n voordeel), says Johan Cruijff, the Netherlands’ greatest soccer player, in one of his most famous quo
We are grateful to Di Cosimo, Torri, and Porcu for their valuable comment on our article. We showed that the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as asses
In their study on the prognostic relevance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in breast cancer follow-up in the phase III SUCCESS A trial, Trapp et al. (1) repor
Anti-tumorigenic vs pro-tumorigenic roles of estrogen receptor-beta (ESR2) in breast cancer remain unsettled. We investigated the potential of TP53 status to be a determinant of the bi-faceted role of ESR2 and associated therapeutic implications for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are captured within cancer trials to help future patients and their clinicians make more informed treatment decisions. However, variability in standards of PRO trial design and reporting threaten the validity of these endpoints for application in clinical practice.
Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) compared to the general population, especially those previously exposed to abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy (APRT). However, the benefits and costs of CRC screening in CCS are unclear. In this study, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of early-initiated colonoscopy screening in CCS.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although immunotherapy has dramatically changed the landscape of treatment for many advanced cancers, the benefit in CRC has thus far been limited to patients with microsatellite instability high (MSI-H):DNA mismatch repair–deficient (dMMR) tumors. Recent studies in the refractory CRC...
There are now close to 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, and this number is expected to continue to grow. One decade ago the Institute of Medicine report, From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition, outlined 10 recommendations aiming to provide coordinated, comprehensive care for cancer survivors. Although there has been noteworthy progress made...