Clinical oncology : a journal of the Royal College of Radiologists
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Jul 2013
ReviewSystemic therapy in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a systematic review.
Since 2004, docetaxel-based chemotherapy has been the standard of care for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), but recently randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of novel agents have shown promise in extending overall survival. These trials have evaluated agents delivered before chemotherapy, to replace or supplement docetaxel, or addressed treatment options for men who have progressed on docetaxel therapy. This review was undertaken to determine which systemic therapies improve cancer- or patient-related outcomes in men with mCRPC. ⋯ Docetaxel-based chemotherapy remains the standard of care in men with mCRPC who are candidates for palliative systemic therapy. Promising results are emerging with sipuleucel-T and abiraterone in the pre-docetaxel setting and cabazitaxel, abiraterone and enzalutamide in patients who progress on or after docetaxel. Further research to determine the optimal choice, sequence or even the combination of these agents is necessary.
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · May 2013
ReviewThe management of ductal carcinoma in situ: current controversies and future directions.
The incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has increased in recent decades, primarily due to the widespread implementation of breast cancer screening. Traditionally, the management of DCIS has mirrored that of invasive breast cancer, with a focus on adequate surgical excision, breast-conserving surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy and endocrine therapy. However, an increasing understanding of the biology of this spectrum of conditions many mean that some cases may be managed more conservatively, reserving aggressive therapies for those patients at high risk of progression to invasive disease, ultimately aiming for a personalised approach based on individual risk factors. This overview highlights the key evidence behind current practice and discusses the rationale for current and future clinical trials in DCIS.
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Mar 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyModern hypofractionation schedules for tangential whole breast irradiation decrease the fraction size-corrected dose to the heart.
Hypofractionation of postoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer has been evaluated in a number of large randomised clinical trials, but concerns remain over the late cardiac toxicity. In this study, we examined the predictions of the linear quadratic model on the estimated fraction size-corrected dose to the heart for four evidence-based hypofractionation regimens. ⋯ For standard tangential field whole breast irradiation, most of the examined hypofractionation schedules are estimated to spare the heart when compared with normofractionation. The dose to the heart, adjusted for fraction size using the linear quadratic model, will generally be lower after hypofractionated compared with normofractionated schedules, even for very low values of α/β.