Cancer
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The main objectives of this study were to identify the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including a patient-reported outcome (PRO) endpoint across a wide range of cancer specialties and to evaluate the completeness of PRO reporting according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) PRO extension. ⋯ Implementation of the CONSORT PRO extension is equally important across all cancer specialties. Its use can also contribute to revealing the robust PRO design of some studies, which might be obscured by poor outcome reporting.
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A significant share of the cost of cancer care is concentrated in the end-of-life period. Although quality measures of aggressive treatment may guide optimal care during this timeframe, little is known about whether these metrics affect costs of care. ⋯ Cancer patients who receive aggressive end-of-life care incur 43% higher costs than those managed nonaggressively. Palliative consultation may partially offset these costs and offer resultant savings.
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Despite international practice guidelines endorsing radiotherapy (RT) as the preferred initial therapy, treatment approaches vary for patients with early-stage follicular lymphoma. The authors engaged the National Cancer Data Base to analyze patterns of care and survival outcomes for patients with early-stage follicular lymphoma in the era of modern therapy. ⋯ RT is an increasingly underused treatment approach in the era of modern therapy for patients with early-stage follicular lymphoma. The use of RT appears to improve OS and should remain standard practice as encouraged by clinical practice guidelines.
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Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was an exploratory endpoint in the PALETTE trial, a global, double-blind, randomized, phase 3 trial of pazopanib 800 mg versus placebo as second-line or later treatment for patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (N = 369). In that trial, progression-free survival was significantly improved in the pazopanib arm (median, 4.6 vs 1.6 months; hazard ratio, 0.31; P < .001), and toxicity of pazopanib consisted mainly of fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, weight loss, and hypertension. ⋯ HRQoL did not improve with the receipt of pazopanib. However, the observed improvement in progression-free survival without impairment of HRQoL was considered a meaningful result. The toxicity profile of pazopanib was reflected in the patients' self-reported symptoms but did not translate into significantly worse overall global health status during treatment.
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CD4 (+) T helper 17 (Th17) cells play critical roles in inflammation and tumor development. The involvement of Th17 cells in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-type inflammation-associated lung cancer has also been confirmed in animal models. However, to the authors' knowledge, it is unknown whether the role of Th17 cells is different in patients with lung cancer complicated with COPD compared with those without COPD. In the current study, the authors attempted to determine the association between the circulating levels of Th17-related cytokines and the clinical characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with or without COPD. ⋯ The results of the current study indicate a clear association between the Th17-related cytokine profile and the risk of NSCLC complicated by the presence or absence of COPD.