Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology
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The evolution of personalised medicine in lung cancer has dramatically impacted diagnostic pathology. Current challenges centre on the growing demands placed on small tissue samples by molecular diagnostic techniques. In this review, expert recommendations are provided regarding successful identification of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ The practice of sequential testing is not recommended. Identification of ALK rearrangements is now essential for the diagnosis of NSCLC, underpinned by the benefits of ALK inhibitors. As scientific understanding and diagnostic technology develops, ALK testing will continue to be an evolving and challenging paradigm.
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In the outpatient oncology clinic, pain management is often inadequate. Incorporating a systematic pain management program into visits is likely to improve this. We implemented an integrated program, including a structured pain assessment, pain treatment protocol and patient education module. In the present study, we investigated whether this intervention improved pain control. ⋯ Because this is an innovation project and not a primary research project, it has no clinical trial number. The protocol and all materials involved were approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Erasmus MC (MEC-2009-324).
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized phase III study of bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI and bevacizumab plus mFOLFOX6 as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (WJOG4407G).
FOLFIRI and FOLFOX have shown equivalent efficacy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), but their comparative effectiveness is unknown when combined with bevacizumab. ⋯ UMIN000001396.
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Based on data from two multicenter, phase III clinical trials (Studies 301 and 305), eribulin (a microtubule dynamics inhibitor) is indicated in the European Union (EU) for patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) after ≥1 prior chemotherapy for advanced disease, including an anthracycline and a taxane in either the adjuvant or metastatic setting. Data from Studies 305 and 301 were pooled to investigate the efficacy of eribulin in various subgroups of patients who matched the EU label, including those with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative and triple-negative disease. ⋯ Our findings underline the survival benefit achieved by eribulin used according to EU label in the overall MBC population and in various subgroups of interest, including patients with HER2-negative and triple-negative disease.