Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology
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J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. · Jan 2008
Retrospective quantification of background incidence and stage distribution of breast cancer for the mammography screening pilot project in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Several parameters for quality assurance of mammography screening require background incidence rates, i.e. the breast cancer incidence in the absence of screening. For new programmes, incidence rates for the years prior to the programme are usually taken as a substitute with the appropriate source being cancer registries. In Germany, the feasibility of quality-assured screening was examined in three pilot projects over the years 2001-2005, so that background incidence was needed for quality assurance. ⋯ In view of getting appropriate figures for background incidence these results indicate that emphasis should be put on using rates which are less affected by opportunistic screening rather than obtaining geographically proximate data. We propose to use the 50-69 years incidence rate of breast cancer for the years 1996-2000 in the Saarland cancer registry as background incidence rate which is almost identical to the Wiesbaden data for 1996 and 1997 but increased less strongly during 1998-2000. This incidence rate is 2.5 per 1,000, while that found in the Wiesbaden area was 2.7 per 1,000.
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J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. · Dec 2007
Age, severe comorbidity and functional impairment independently contribute to poor survival in cancer patients.
With the increasing number of elderly patients suffering from cancer, comorbidity and functional impairment become common problems in patients with cancer. Both comorbidity and functional impairment are associated with a shorter survival time in cancer patients, but their independent role has rarely been addressed before. ⋯ Age, severe comorbidity, functional impairment, and kind of tumour are independently related to shorter survival time in cancer patients.
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J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. · Sep 2007
Markov-modeling for the administration of platinum analogues and paclitaxel as first-line chemotherapy as well as topotecan and liposomal doxorubicin as second-line chemotherapy with epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
So far there is no analysis available on the cost effectiveness of the paclitaxel/platinum-analogue combination versus carboplatin monotherapy with ovarian cancer. Up-to-now only a cost-utility analysis on ovarian carcinoma has been published (Ortega et al. in Gynecol Oncol 66(3):454-463, 1997), which in addition to the first-line chemotherapy included second-line chemotherapy with effectiveness and cost data in the analysis. Therefore, within the scope of our study the cost effectiveness of platinum analogues and paclitaxel as first-line chemotherapy as well as topotecan and liposomal doxorubicin as second-lie chemotherapy was to be determined with epithelial ovarian carcinoma. ⋯ Based on the threshold value of social willingness to pay 45,500 euros per year of life saved, the therapeutic strategy carboplatin followed by topotecan, the therapeutic strategy carboplatin followed by liposomal doxorubicin, the therapeutic strategy carboplatin/paclitaxel followed by topotcan and the therapeutic strategy carboplatin/paclitaxel followed by liposomal doxorubicin can be evaluated to be cost effective.
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J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. · Apr 2007
Quality of life among breast cancer patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction versus breast conserving therapy.
Besides the quality of the aesthetic results, the quality of life after surgery is one of the most important criteria when reviewing different operation methods, especially in oncologic diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the difference in the health-related quality of life following breast conserving surgery and autologous breast reconstruction after mastectomy. ⋯ Our study demonstrated that autologous tissue breast reconstruction in breast cancer patients did not affect adversely the health-related quality of life compared to breast conserving therapy when the quality of life is assessed by the standardized questionnaire SF-36. In particular, the physical function is not reported to be significantly influenced negatively by the more extensive surgical therapy.
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J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. · Aug 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyThe addition of bicalutamide 150 mg to radiotherapy significantly improves overall survival in men with locally advanced prostate cancer.
Castration therapy adjuvant to radiotherapy can significantly improve overall survival compared with radiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer. Although many of the adverse effects of castration therapy are manageable, they can have a detrimental effect on quality of life. Here we evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the non-castration-based therapy bicalutamide ('Casodex') 150 mg adjuvant to radiotherapy in patients with T1-4, M0, any n prostate cancer. ⋯ In patients with locally advanced disease, bicalutamide 150 mg adjuvant to radiotherapy demonstrates significant clinical benefits in terms of overall survival, PFS and PSA-PFS compared with radiotherapy alone. The overall survival benefit in these patients is consistent with prior studies evaluating castration-based therapies adjuvant to radiotherapy (Bolla et al. in Lancet 360:103-108, 2002; Pilepich et al. in Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 61:1285-1290, 2005). In addition, the clinical benefit of bicalutamide 150 mg in locally advanced patients, but not in those with localized disease, is consistent with the overall results from the EPC program (McLeod et al. BJU Int 97:247-254, 2006). Given the quality-of-life advantages of bicalutamide relative to castration, bicalutamide 150 mg adjuvant to radiotherapy is an attractive alternative for men with locally advanced prostate cancer.