Journal of the National Cancer Institute
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J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · May 2003
Relation of hospital volume to colostomy rates and survival for patients with rectal cancer.
Postoperative mortality after some types of cancer surgery is inversely related to the number of operations performed at a hospital (i.e., hospital volume). This study assessed the association of hospital volume with colostomy rates and survival for patients with rectal cancer in a large representative cohort identified from the California Cancer Registry. ⋯ Rectal cancer patients who underwent surgery at high-volume hospitals were less likely to have a permanent colostomy and had better survival rates than those treated in low-volume hospitals. Identifying processes of care that contribute to these differences may improve patients' outcomes in all hospitals.
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J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · May 2003
Preclinical characterization of the antiglioma activity of a tropism-enhanced adenovirus targeted to the retinoblastoma pathway.
Oncolytic adenoviruses are promising therapies for the treatment of gliomas. However, untargeted viral replication and the paucity of coxsackie-adenovirus receptors (CARs) on tumor cells are major stumbling blocks for adenovirus-based treatment. We studied the antiglioma activity of the tumor-selective Delta-24 adenovirus, which encompasses an early 1 A adenoviral (E1A) deletion in the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein-binding region, and of the Delta-24-RGD adenovirus. Delta-24-RGD has an RGD-4C peptide motif inserted into the adenoviral fiber, which allows the adenovirus to anchor directly to integrins. ⋯ The antitumor activity of Delta-24-RGD suggests that it has the potential to be an effective agent in the treatment of gliomas.