Project description:Key European Society of Cardiology sessions focused on reducing inflammation, lowering cardiovascular risk and cholesterol, and controlling hypertension, while significant clinical trials of medications for ovarian, lung, gastric, and head-and-neck cancers were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress.
Project description:Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors against programmed cell death receptor (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand (PD-L1) has been implemented in the treatment pathway of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from locally advanced disease to the metastatic setting. This approach has resulted in improved survival and a more favourable toxicity profile when compared with chemotherapy. Following the successful introduction of single-agent immunotherapy, current clinical trials are focusing on combination treatments with chemotherapy or radiotherapy or even other immunotherapeutic agents. However, most of the data available from these trials are derived from, and therefore might be more applicable to younger and fitter patients rather than older and often frail lung cancer real-world patients. This article provides a detailed review of these immunotherapy agents with a focus on the data available regarding older NSCLC patients and makes recommendations to fill evidence gaps in this patient population.
Project description:Aging is a heterogeneous process. Most newly diagnosed cancers occur in older adults, and it is important to understand a patient's underlying health status when making treatment decisions. A geriatric assessment provides a detailed evaluation of medical, psychosocial, and functional problems in older patients with cancer. Specifically, it can identify areas of vulnerability, predict survival and toxicity, assist in clinical treatment decisions, and guide interventions in routine oncology practice; however, the uptake is hampered by limitations in both time and resources, as well as by a lack of expert interpretation. In this review, we describe the utility of geriatric assessment by using an illustrative case and provide a practical approach to geriatric assessment in oncology.
Project description:Many definitions of the term clinical pharmacy exist, but a number of ambiguities remain. In order to clarify the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) position on what defines clinical pharmacy, a consultation exercise was conducted among ESCP members with the findings used as the basis for an updated definition. The updated definition clarifies that clinical pharmacy (1) represents both a professional practice and field of research, (2) aims to optimise the utilisation of medicines in order to achieve person-centered and public health goals, (3) as a practice encompasses cognitive, managerial and interpersonal activities targeting all stages of the medicines use process, and as a field of research generates knowledge that informs clinical decision-making, health care organisation or policy, (4) as a practice is restricted to pharmacists, (5) can be practiced regardless of setting, and (6) encompasses pharmaceutical care but is not restricted to it.
Project description:Sleep and circadian rhythms are closely related to physical and psychosocial well-being. However, sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions are often overlooked in children with cancer, as they are frequently considered temporary side effects of therapy that resolve when treatment ends. Yet, evidence from adult oncology suggests a bidirectional relationship wherein cancer and its treatment disrupt sleep and circadian rhythms, which are associated with negative health outcomes such as poor immune functioning and lower survival rates. A growing body of research demonstrates that sleep problems are prevalent among children with cancer and can persist into survivorship. However, medical and psychosocial outcomes of poor sleep and circadian rhythmicity have not been explored in this context. It is essential to increase our understanding because sleep and circadian rhythms are vital components of health and quality of life. In children without cancer, sleep and circadian disturbances respond well to intervention, suggesting that they may also be modifiable in children with cancer. We present this paper as a call to (a) incorporate sleep or circadian rhythm assessment into pediatric cancer clinical trials, (b) address gaps in understanding the bidirectional relationship between sleep or circadian rhythms and health throughout the cancer trajectory, and (c) integrate sleep and circadian science into oncologic treatment.
Project description:ObjectiveTo explore the value of multiple clinical endpoints in the unique setting of ovarian cancer.MethodsA clinical trial workgroup was established by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology to develop a consensus statement via multiple conference calls, meetings and white paper drafts.ResultsClinical trial endpoints have profound effects on late phase clinical trial design, result interpretation, drug development, and regulatory approval of therapeutics. Selection of the optimal clinical trial endpoint is particularly provocative in ovarian cancer where long overall survival (OS) is observed. The lack of new regulatory approvals and the lack of harmony between regulatory bodies globally for ovarian cancer therapeutics are of concern. The advantages and disadvantages of the numerous endpoints available are herein discussed within the unique context of ovarian cancer where both crossover and post-progression therapies potentially uncouple surrogacy between progression-free survival (PFS) and OS, the two most widely supported and utilized endpoints. The roles of patient reported outcomes (PRO) and health related quality of life (HRQoL) are discussed, but even these widely supported parameters are affected by the unique characteristics of ovarian cancer where a significant percentage of patients may be asymptomatic. Original data regarding the endpoint preferences of ovarian cancer advocates is presented.ConclusionsEndpoint selection in ovarian cancer clinical trials should reflect the impact on disease burden and unique characteristics of the treatment cohort while reflecting true patient benefit. Both OS and PFS have led to regulatory approvals and are clinically important. OS remains the most objective and accepted endpoint because it is least vulnerable to bias; however, the feasibility of OS in ovarian cancer is compromised by the requirement for large trial size, prolonged time-line for final analysis, and potential for unintended loss of treatment effect from active post-progression therapies. A large magnitude of effect in PFS improvement should establish benefit, and further communication with regulatory authorities to clarify acceptable endpoints should be undertaken.
Project description:Molecular pathology is an essential part of pathology complementing conventional morphological tools to obtain a correct integrated diagnosis with appropriate assessment of prognosis and prediction of response to therapy, particularly in cancer. There is a concern about the situation of molecular pathology in some areas of Europe, namely, regarding the central role of pathologists in assessing somatic genomic alterations in cancer. In some countries, there are attempts that other laboratory medicine specialists perform the molecular analysis of somatic alterations in cancer, particularly now when next generation sequencing (NGS) is incorporated into clinical practice. In this scenario, pathologists may play just the role of "tissue providers," and other specialists may take the lead in molecular analysis. Geneticists and laboratory medicine specialists have all background and skills to perform genetic analysis of germline alterations in hereditary disorders, including familial forms of cancers. However, interpretation of somatic alterations of cancer belongs to the specific scientific domain of pathology. Pathologists are necessary to guarantee the quality of the results, for several reasons: (1) The identified molecular alterations should be interpreted in the appropriate morphologic context, since most of them are context-specific; (2) pre-analytical issues must be taken into consideration; (3) it is crucial to check the proportion of tumor cells in the sample subjected to analysis and presence of inflammatory infiltrate and necrosis should be monitored; and 4) the role of pathologists is crucial to select the most appropriate methods and to control the turnaround time in which the molecular results are delivered in the context of an integrated diagnosis. Obviously, there is the possibility of having core facilities for NGS in a hospital to perform the sequence analysis that are open to other specialties (microbiologists, geneticists), but also in this scenario, pathologists should have the lead in assessing somatic alterations of cancer. In this article, we emphasize the importance of interpreting somatic molecular alterations of the tumors in the context of morphology. In this Position Paper of the European Society of Pathology, we strongly support a central role of pathology departments in the process of analysis and interpretation of somatic molecular alterations in cancer.
Project description:BackgroundWith the development of molecular high-throughput assays (i.e. next generation sequencing), the knowledge on the contribution of genetic and epigenetic alterations to the etiology of inherited endocrine disorders has massively expanded. However, the rapid implementation of these new molecular tools in the diagnostic settings makes the interpretation of diagnostic data increasingly complex.Main bodyThis joint paper of the ENDO-ERN members aims to overview chances, challenges, limitations and relevance of comprehensive genetic diagnostic testing in rare endocrine conditions in order to achieve an early molecular diagnosis. This early diagnosis of a genetically based endocrine disorder contributes to a precise management and helps the patients and their families in their self-determined planning of life. Furthermore, the identification of a causative (epi)genetic alteration allows an accurate prognosis of recurrence risks for family planning as the basis of genetic counselling. Asymptomatic carriers of pathogenic variants can be identified, and prenatal testing might be offered, where appropriate.ConclusionsThe decision on genetic testing in the diagnostic workup of endocrine disorders should be based on their appropriateness to reliably detect the disease-causing and -modifying mutation, their informational value, and cost-effectiveness. The future assessment of data from different omic approaches should be embedded in interdisciplinary discussions using all available clinical and molecular data.