Background: Patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who are treated with trimodality therapy have a high recurrence rate. Preclinical evidence suggests that inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) increases the effectiveness of chemoradiation, and observational studies in humans suggest that COX-2 inhibition may reduce esophageal cancer risk. This trial tested the safety and efficacy of combining a COX2 inhibitor, celecoxib, with neoadjuvant irinotecan/cisplatin chemoradiation. Methods: This single arm phase 2 trial combined irinotecan, cisplatin, and celecoxib with concurrent radiation therapy. Patients with stage IIA-IVA esophageal cancer received weekly cisplatin 30 mg/m(2) plus irinotecan 65 mg/m(2) on weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 concurrently with 5040 cGy of radiation therapy. Celecoxib 400 mg was taken orally twice daily during chemoradiation, up to 1 week before surgery, and for 6 months following surgery. Results: Forty patients were enrolled with stage IIa (30 %), stage IIb (20 %), stage III (22.5 %), and stage IVA (27.5 %) esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer (AJCC, 5th Edition). During chemoradiation, grade 3-4 treatment-related toxicity included dysphagia (20 %), anorexia (17.5 %), dehydration (17.5 %), nausea (15 %), neutropenia (12.5 %), diarrhea (10 %), fatigue (7.5 %), and febrile neutropenia (7.5 %). The pathological complete response rate was 32.5 %. The median progression free survival was 15.7 months and the median overall survival was 34.7 months. 15 % (n = 6) of patients treated on this study developed brain metastases. Conclusions: The addition of celecoxib to neoadjuvant cisplatin-irinotecan chemoradiation was tolerable; however, overall survival appeared comparable to prior studies using neoadjuvant cisplatin-irinotecan chemoradiation alone. Further studies adding celecoxib to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in esophageal cancer are not warranted.

Background: Lung cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer. Smoking causes roughly 90% of lung cancer cases. Concurrent chemoradiation therapy is the standard of care for stage IIIb patients with performance status (PS) 0-1. A less toxic approach is warranted for less fit patients. To optimize care, the understanding of common clinical variables such as haematological responses to inflammation could be much improved. Adherence to guidelines for proper clinical work-up is vital to ensure patients’ optimal care, especially for predictive assays. Screening of high-risk patients is now being implemented internationally. Chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) patients, a group at high risk to develop lung cancer, could be of interest for screening. Methods: Patient cohorts collected nationally and regionally by manual search in patient records or automated search in electronic patient records and national registries were analysed in relation to overall survival, comorbidities, medication, treatment, smoking status, biomarkers and adherence to guidelines. Standard statistics were applied to adjust for confounding factors. Results: Induction chemotherapy results in longer overall survival than radiotherapy alone (15.6 and 11.6 months respectively). The overall survival for patients with combined anaemia, leucocytosis and thrombocytosis at diagnosis is half of what could be anticipated if blood samples are normal (8.0 and 16.0 months respectively). Fifty percent of patients were overlooked in the routine work-up with EGFR analysis. Less than 40% of the patients received EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors in first-line therapy. The frequency of EGFR mutation was 9.9%. COPD patients with asthma and medicating with inhaled corticosteroids, specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or beta-blockers have a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer. Conclusions: Patients unfit to receive chemoradiation therapy should be considered for induction chemotherapy sequentially to radiotherapy. A patient that presents with pathological blood samples is likely to have poor prognosis and diagnostic work-up should be thorough to optimize outcome. Inadequate adherence to the national guidelines regarding treatment and EGFR analysis was shown. COPD patients medicating with ICS, beta-blockers or SSRI and with a concurrent asthma diagnosis have a decreased risk of lung cancer.

No description available.

INTRODUÇÃO: O tratamento padrão do Carcinoma Epidermoide do Ânus (CEDA) é a quimiorradioterapia ou radioterapia exclusiva. Os pacientes em que a terapêutica conservadora falha são tratados com Ressecção Abdominoperineal do Reto (RAP) de resgate. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a sobrevivência com a RAP de resgate no CEDA, identificando os descritores favoráveis para sobrevivência maior e as características do agrupamento de variáveis relacionadas a descritores independentes de risco para mortalidade. MÉTODOS: Foram levantados dados através de 111 prontuários de portadores de CEDA, tratados inicialmente com quimiorradioterapia combinada ou radioterapia exclusiva e submetidos à RAP no período de outubro de 1982 a janeiro de 2011. RESULTADOS: A média de idade foi de 58 anos, 93 (83,8%) pacientes eram do sexo feminino e 80 (72,1%) da raça branca. O estadio cT3-4 compôs 66,7% e cN0 39,6% da casuística. A RAP foi indicada por persistência da doença (PD) em 61 (55%) pacientes e por recidiva (RD) em 50 (45%) pacientes. A ressecção cirúrgica sem resíduos tumorais (R0) foi realizada em 86 (77,5%) pacientes. O tempo médio de permanência hospitalar pós-operatório foi de 14 dias. A morbidade cirúrgica foi de 64,9%, sendo 78,3% dela devida às complicações da região perineal. Recidiva após RAP ocorreu em 68 (61,2%) pacientes, sendo 40 (58,8%) no primeiro ano do pós-operatório, a maioria locorregional (78%; 53/68). A mediana do seguimento foi de 16 meses (1,2-60 meses). Na análise multivariada, cirurgia R0 (p<0,001), invasão perineural vascular e/ou linfática negativa (p<0,0001) e linfonodo negativo na peça cirúrgica (p=0,03) foram estatisticamente associados à maior sobrevivência. CONCLUSÕES: A taxa de sobrevivência global estimada em cinco anos foi de 24,5%, com mediana de sobrevivência de 32 meses. O subgrupo de pacientes submetidos a cirurgias R0 em cujas peças cirúrgicas não foram encontrados invasão perineural vascular e/ou linfática nem linfonodos comprometidos apresentou taxa de sobrevivência estimada em três e cinco anos de 74,4% e 55,0%, respectivamente, com mediana de sobrevivência de 87 meses. Não houve diferença significativa entre pacientes que evoluíram com PD ou RD. Identificou-se a cirurgia R1-2, invasão perineural vascular e/ou linfática e linfonodo positivo na peça cirúrgica como fatores preditivos independentes de mortalidade / INTRODUCTION: The standard treatment for epidermoid carcinoma of the anus (ECA) is the association of chemotherapy (QT) and radiotherapy or exclusive radiotherapy (RT). When conservative treatment fails, patients are submitted to abdominoperineal resection of the rectum (APR). OBJECTIVES: To assess survival with salvage APR in ECA, identifying the most favorable independent descriptors for longer survival and the characteristics of the group of independent variables for mortality risk. METHODS: Data were collected from the medical records of 111 patients with ECA, initially treated with QT/RT or exclusive RT and later submitted to APR, from October 1982 to January 2011. RESULTS: Their mean age was 58 years, 93 (83.8%) patients were female, and 80 (72.1%) were Caucasian. The cT3-4 stage represented 66.7% of the case series and cN0, 39.6%. The APR was indicated due to persistence of disease (PD) in 61 (55%) patients and recurrence of disease (RD) in 50 (45%) patients. Surgical resection without residual tumor (R0) was performed in 86 (77.5%) patients. The mean postoperative hospital length of stay was 14 days. Surgical morbidity was 64.9%, of which, 78.3% related to perineal infection. Recurrence after APR was observed in 68 (61.2%) patients, 40 (58,8%; 40/68) of whom in the first postoperative year, mostly locoregional (78%; 53/68). The median follow-up was 16 months (1.2 - 60 months). On multivariate analysis, R0 surgery (p<0.001), absence of perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion (p<0.0001) and negative lymph node status in the surgical specimen (p=0.03) were associated with increased survival. CONCLUSION: Estimated overall survival rate in 5 years was 24.5%, with median survival of 32 months. There was no significant difference in survival after APR in patients who had PD or RD after conservative treatment. The subgroup of patients who underwent R0 and whose surgical specimen showed absence perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion and negative lymph nodes had an estimated survival rate at 3 and 5 years of 74,4% and 55,0%, respectively, with a median survival of 87 months. The following were identified as independent predictors of mortality: R1-2 surgery; presence perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion; and positive lymph node in the surgical specimen

No description available.

INTRODUÇÃO: O tratamento padrão do Carcinoma Epidermoide do Ânus (CEDA) é a quimiorradioterapia ou radioterapia exclusiva. Os pacientes em que a terapêutica conservadora falha são tratados com Ressecção Abdominoperineal do Reto (RAP) de resgate. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a sobrevivência com a RAP de resgate no CEDA, identificando os descritores favoráveis para sobrevivência maior e as características do agrupamento de variáveis relacionadas a descritores independentes de risco para mortalidade. MÉTODOS: Foram levantados dados através de 111 prontuários de portadores de CEDA, tratados inicialmente com quimiorradioterapia combinada ou radioterapia exclusiva e submetidos à RAP no período de outubro de 1982 a janeiro de 2011. RESULTADOS: A média de idade foi de 58 anos, 93 (83,8%) pacientes eram do sexo feminino e 80 (72,1%) da raça branca. O estadio cT3-4 compôs 66,7% e cN0 39,6% da casuística. A RAP foi indicada por persistência da doença (PD) em 61 (55%) pacientes e por recidiva (RD) em 50 (45%) pacientes. A ressecção cirúrgica sem resíduos tumorais (R0) foi realizada em 86 (77,5%) pacientes. O tempo médio de permanência hospitalar pós-operatório foi de 14 dias. A morbidade cirúrgica foi de 64,9%, sendo 78,3% dela devida às complicações da região perineal. Recidiva após RAP ocorreu em 68 (61,2%) pacientes, sendo 40 (58,8%) no primeiro ano do pós-operatório, a maioria locorregional (78%; 53/68). A mediana do seguimento foi de 16 meses (1,2-60 meses). Na análise multivariada, cirurgia R0 (p<0,001), invasão perineural vascular e/ou linfática negativa (p<0,0001) e linfonodo negativo na peça cirúrgica (p=0,03) foram estatisticamente associados à maior sobrevivência. CONCLUSÕES: A taxa de sobrevivência global estimada em cinco anos foi de 24,5%, com mediana de sobrevivência de 32 meses. O subgrupo de pacientes submetidos a cirurgias R0 em cujas peças cirúrgicas não foram encontrados invasão perineural vascular e/ou linfática nem linfonodos comprometidos apresentou taxa de sobrevivência estimada em três e cinco anos de 74,4% e 55,0%, respectivamente, com mediana de sobrevivência de 87 meses. Não houve diferença significativa entre pacientes que evoluíram com PD ou RD. Identificou-se a cirurgia R1-2, invasão perineural vascular e/ou linfática e linfonodo positivo na peça cirúrgica como fatores preditivos independentes de mortalidade / INTRODUCTION: The standard treatment for epidermoid carcinoma of the anus (ECA) is the association of chemotherapy (QT) and radiotherapy or exclusive radiotherapy (RT). When conservative treatment fails, patients are submitted to abdominoperineal resection of the rectum (APR). OBJECTIVES: To assess survival with salvage APR in ECA, identifying the most favorable independent descriptors for longer survival and the characteristics of the group of independent variables for mortality risk. METHODS: Data were collected from the medical records of 111 patients with ECA, initially treated with QT/RT or exclusive RT and later submitted to APR, from October 1982 to January 2011. RESULTS: Their mean age was 58 years, 93 (83.8%) patients were female, and 80 (72.1%) were Caucasian. The cT3-4 stage represented 66.7% of the case series and cN0, 39.6%. The APR was indicated due to persistence of disease (PD) in 61 (55%) patients and recurrence of disease (RD) in 50 (45%) patients. Surgical resection without residual tumor (R0) was performed in 86 (77.5%) patients. The mean postoperative hospital length of stay was 14 days. Surgical morbidity was 64.9%, of which, 78.3% related to perineal infection. Recurrence after APR was observed in 68 (61.2%) patients, 40 (58,8%; 40/68) of whom in the first postoperative year, mostly locoregional (78%; 53/68). The median follow-up was 16 months (1.2 - 60 months). On multivariate analysis, R0 surgery (p<0.001), absence of perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion (p<0.0001) and negative lymph node status in the surgical specimen (p=0.03) were associated with increased survival. CONCLUSION: Estimated overall survival rate in 5 years was 24.5%, with median survival of 32 months. There was no significant difference in survival after APR in patients who had PD or RD after conservative treatment. The subgroup of patients who underwent R0 and whose surgical specimen showed absence perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion and negative lymph nodes had an estimated survival rate at 3 and 5 years of 74,4% and 55,0%, respectively, with a median survival of 87 months. The following were identified as independent predictors of mortality: R1-2 surgery; presence perineural and/or lymphovascular invasion; and positive lymph node in the surgical specimen

Globally, cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality, with an estimated 18.1 million cancer cases, 10 million deaths, and 1.9 million new cases diagnosed in 2020 (Sung et al., 2021). However, during the past several decades, cancer survival has improved such that 82% of children and >2/3 of adults diagnosed with cancer will survive beyond five years (World Health Organization (WHO) - Childhood Cancer, 2021). Skeletal muscle atrophy and fibrosis are long-term adverse effects experienced by 80% of cancer survivors for which there is no available therapy (Paulino, 2004). These long-term consequences are related to the toxicity from the cancer treatment, leading to alterations in skeletal muscle function which can lead to comorbidities and increased mortality among cancer survivors (Paulino, 2004; Williams et al., 2016). Thus, novel approaches to address the long-term effects of cancer therapy on skeletal muscle are critically needed. Exercise training is a potential non-pharmacological strategy that improves common cancer- and treatment-related side effects (Mustian et al., 2012). Specifically, exercise programs that combine resistance and endurance training (RET) have been shown to improve muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness in cancer survivors (Tong et al., 2020). The mechanisms responsible for these effects remain unknown. The remarkable plasticity of skeletal muscle relies primarily on muscle stem (satellite) cells (MuSCs) (Lepper et al., 2011) that are regulated, in part, by muscle-resident stromal cells (Bentzinger et al., 2013). These different stromal cell types, including: vascular endothelial cells (ECs), immune cells, and mesenchymal progenitors, also known as fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), create the muscle stem cell niche (Yin et al., 2013). FAPs possess a dual role as they are involved in skeletal muscle maintenance and regeneration by secreting pro-myogenic trophic factors (Biferali et al., 2019; Joe et al., 2010; Uezumi et al., 2010; Wosczyna et al., 2019), but also contribute to fibrotic and fatty tissue accumulation in chronic degenerative conditions (Uezumi et al., 2010). The divergent features of FAPs highly depend on signals they receive from their microenvironment (Giuliani et al., 2021); however, FAP's contribution to cancer treatment-induced muscle pathology in cancer survivors remains unknown. The overall objective of this thesis is to begin to develop an understanding of the role of FAPs in cancer treatment-induced muscle pathology and to determine if RET represents an effective therapy to prevent the long-term muscle defects of juvenile cancer plus therapy.

No description available.