The lancet oncology
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The lancet oncology · Sep 2008
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyRisk factors for joint symptoms in patients enrolled in the ATAC trial: a retrospective, exploratory analysis.
Joint symptoms (eg, arthralgia and arthritis) are a well-known side-effect of aromatase inhibitors. Low oestrogen concentrations and postmenopausal status are associated with the development of these symptoms. Chemotherapy can also induce joint symptoms, but tamoxifen seems to have little effect on their incidence. The aim of this study was to assess the relative importance of different risk factors for treatment-emergent joint symptoms in patients assigned to anastrozole or tamoxifen as adjuvant treatment for postmenopausal breast cancer. ⋯ In this trial, the major risk factors for developing joint symptoms were previous HRT, hormone-receptor positivity, previous chemotherapy, obesity, and treatment with anastrozole. Discussion of identified risk factors is appropriate when counselling women before initiation of adjuvant hormonal treatment.
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The lancet oncology · Sep 2008
Pathology grading of colon cancer surgical resection and its association with survival: a retrospective observational study.
High-quality rectal cancer surgery is known to improve patient outcome. We aimed to assess the quality of colon cancer surgery by studying the extent of variation in the plane of surgical resection, the amount of tissue removed, and its association with survival. ⋯ As previously shown in the rectum, we have now shown there is marked variability in the plane of surgery achieved in colon cancer. Improving the plane of dissection might improve survival, especially in patients with stage III disease. If confirmed by clinical trial data, such as from the ongoing National Cancer Research Institute Fluoropyrimidine, Oxaliplatin and Targeted Receptor pre-Operative Therapy for colon cancer (FOxTROT) trial of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced resectable colon cancer, improvement of the plane of dissection might be a new cost-effective method of decreasing morbidity and mortality in patients with colon cancer.