Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Jan 2025
Real-world impact of pembrolizumab availability for deficient mismatch repair metastatic colorectal cancer.
Immunotherapy has emerged as a standard treatment for deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Pembrolizumab became widely available as a first-line (1L) option in Australia following the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listing in August 2021. The uptake of new treatment options can be lengthy. ⋯ Previously reported associations of dMMR were observed. The higher-than-expected proportion of patients with dMMR is likely driven by the inclusion of older patients in this real-world study. Many patients were able to access immunotherapy prior to PBS listing, potentially through trials or access programs. Early uptake of pembrolizumab following PBS listing has been high, and this effective and well-tolerated option has increased the proportion of elderly patients receiving active therapy.
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Internal medicine journal · Jan 2025
Bacteraemia over 4 years in a Greater Western Sydney Metropolitan Local Health District: a retrospective descriptive study.
Bacteraemia is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Understanding local patterns of bacteraemia including pathogen distribution, infection source, clinical speciality team burden, susceptibility data and mortality rates can inform empiric antibiotic choices, prevention approaches and education strategies. ⋯ This study provides valuable insight into the local epidemiology of bacteraemia, which will allow for targeted prevention, management and educational strategies to improve outcomes.