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Evaluating the Readability and Quality of Bladder Cancer Information from AI Chatbots: A Comparative Study Between ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Grok, Claude and DeepSeek.Background/Objectives: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chatbots such as ChatGPT are easily available and are quickly becoming a source of information for patients as opposed to traditional Google searches. We assessed the quality of information on bladder cancer, provided by various AI chatbots such as ChatGPT 4o, Google Gemini 2.0 flash, Grok 3, Claude Sonnet 3.7 and DeepSeek R1. Their responses were analysed in terms of Readability Indices, and two consultant urologists rated the quality of information provided using the validated DISCERN tool. Methods: The top 10 most frequently asked questions about bladder cancer were identified using Google Trends. These questions were then provided to five different AI chatbots, and their responses were collected. No prompts were used, reflecting natural language queries that patients would use. The responses were analysed in terms of their readability using five validated indices: Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level (FKRGL), the Gunning Fog Index, the Coleman-Liau Index and the SMOG index. Two consultant urologists then independently assessed the responses of various AI chatbots using the DISCERN tool, which rates the quality of the health information on a five-point LIKERT scale. Inter-rater agreement was calculated using Cohen's Kappa and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: ChatGPT 4o was the overall winner in readability scores, with the highest Flesch Reading Ease score (59.4) and the lowest average reading grade level (7.0) required to understand the material. Grok 3 was a close second (FRE 58.3, grade level 8.7). Claude 3.7 Sonnet used the most complex language in its answers and therefore scored the lowest FRE score of 44.9, with the highest grade level (9.5) and also the highest complexity on other indices. In the DISCERN analysis, Grok 3 received the highest average score (52.0), followed closely by ChatGPT 4o (50.5). The inter-rater agreement was highest for ChatGPT 4o (ICC: 0.791; Kappa: 0.437), while it was lowest for Grok 3 (ICC: 0.339, Kappa 0.0, Weighted Kappa 0.335). Conclusions: All AI chatbots can provide generally good-quality answers to questions about bladder cancer with zero hallucinations. ChatGPT 4o was the overall winner, with the best readability metrics, strong DISCERN ratings and highest inter-rater agreement.
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Ten-Year Survival after Postmastectomy Chest-Wall Irradiation in Breast Cancer.BACKGROUND: The role of postmastectomy chest-wall irradiation in patients with breast cancer classified as pN1 (with involvement of one to three axillary nodes) or pN0 (pathologically node negative) with additional risk factors is uncertain. METHODS: In this international, phase 3, randomized trial, we evaluated the omission of chest-wall irradiation in women with "intermediate-risk" breast cancer - defined as cancer that was stage pT1N1, pT2N1, or pT3N0 or stage pT2N0 with a histologic grade of 3, lymphovascular invasion, or both (tumor size: T1, ≤2 cm; T2, >2 cm to 5 cm; or T3, >5 cm) - that was treated with mastectomy, an axillary procedure, and systemic therapy. Patients were assigned to undergo chest-wall irradiation (40 to 50 Gy; the irradiation group) or not to undergo chest-wall irradiation (the no-irradiation group). The primary end point was overall survival, with 10 years of follow-up. Chest-wall recurrence, regional recurrence, disease-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, causes of death, and radiation-related adverse events were also assessed. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat population included 808 patients in the irradiation group and 799 in the no-irradiation group. The median follow up was 9.6 years. Overall survival was 81.4% with chest-wall irradiation and 81.9% with no chest-wall irradiation according to 10-year Kaplan-Meier estimates (hazard ratio for death, 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82 to 1.30; P = 0.80). A total of 29 patients had a chest-wall recurrence - 9 (1.1%) in the irradiation group and 20 (2.5%) in the no-irradiation group (between-group difference, <2 percentage points; hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.99). Disease-free survival was 76.2% in the irradiation group and 75.5% in the no-irradiation group (hazard ratio for recurrence or death, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.18), and distant metastasis-free survival was 78.2% and 79.2%, respectively (hazard ratio for distant metastasis or death, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.31). CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, chest-wall irradiation did not result in higher overall survival than no chest-wall irradiation among patients with intermediate-risk, early breast cancer treated with mastectomy and contemporary adjuvant systemic therapy. (Funded by the Medical Research Council and others; SUPREMO ISRCTN Clinical Study Registry number, 61145589.).
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International Expert Consensus Recommendations for HER2 Reporting in Breast Cancer: Focus on HER2-low and Ultralow Categories.The concept of "HER2-negative" breast cancer is evolving, with the recognition of HER2-low and HER2-ultralow subsets. These subsets are clinically relevant regarding treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), which has shown survival benefit in patients with metastatic carcinoma with minimal HER2 protein expression that lack HER2 gene amplification by in situ hybridisation (ISH). In clinical trials using T-DXd, HER2-low was defined as immunohistochemistry (IHC) score 1+ or IHC score 2+ without HER2 gene amplification. HER2-ultralow was defined as faint or barely perceptible, incomplete membrane staining in >0 to ≤10% of tumour cells (IHC score 0+/with membrane staining) and HER2-null as complete absence of staining (IHC score 0/absent membrane staining). These results now necessitate more detailed evaluation and reporting of traditional "HER2-negative" results to identify patients with metastatic breast cancer who may benefit from T-DXd therapy. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have extended regulatory approval of T-DXd to patients with metastatic breast cancer showing HER2-low or HER2-ultralow expression. Updated clinical management guidelines now, therefore, incorporate the spectrum of HER2 results into treatment selection algorithms in the metastatic setting. To align histopathologic practice with these developments, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has issued a new biomarker-reporting template that recommends explicit distinction between IHC 0/absent membrane staining and IHC 0+/with membrane staining. Key concerns among pathologists include assay variability, scoring reproducibility and quality assurance standards for accurately detecting such low levels of HER2 expression. This manuscript provides expert consensus, evidence-based practical recommendations for identifying and reporting tumours with HER2-low and HER2-ultralow expression. We emphasise standardised testing protocols, validated assays, robust internal and external controls, and focused training for pathologists. A universal structured pathology report is proposed to highlight the accurate distinction between IHC 0 (null), IHC 0+ (ultralow), and HER2-low expression.
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Does the presence of single compared to multiple endometrial polyps alter the risk of cancer in post-menopausal women?OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative rates of malignancy in women with single and multiple polyps presenting to a UK Cancer Centre with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of patients treated at Royal Derby Hospital (RDH) for PMB who underwent outpatient hysteroscopy based on ultrasonographic suspicion of endometrial polyps between May 2014 to December 2019. The main outcome measure was the rates of precancerous and malignant histology for single or multiple polyps. The secondary outcomes assessed the influence of risk factors on the rates of malignancy within the single and multiple polyps groups. RESULTS: The study population was 851 women of which 533 were in the single polyp group and 318 in the multiple polyps group. The multiple polyps group (mean age 65.2 years) was older compared to the single polyp group (mean age 62.1 years), P = 0.0001. Elevated rates of cancer was driven most significantly by endometrioid cancer in the multiple polyps compared to single polyp group, with rates of 50/314 (16 %) and 28/512 (5.5 %) respectively, P=< 0.00001. For rarer histologies there was no significant difference between the proportion of serous, carcinosarcomas and clear cell cancers between those with single compared to multiple polyps (P > 0.05). Significantly more endometrial hyperplasia with atypia (AEH) was found in the multiple polyps compared to single polyp group, with rates of 18/314 (5.7 %) and 15/512 (2.9 %) respectively, P = 0.046. CONCLUSION: Our study found increased rates of endometrioid cancer and its precursor, AEH within the multiple polyps compared to the single polyps groups. Future risk predicting algorithms should consider incorporating single and multiple polyps as part of their risk model.
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Low-Risk Febrile Neutropenia Management: An Audit of Practice in a UK Cancer Center.BACKGROUND: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a known complication of chemotherapy. Guidelines from American Society of Clinical Oncology and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence support outpatient management for low-risk FN patients; however, implementation varies across United Kingdom (UK) cancer centers. While some centers have adopted outpatient pathways, others continue to rely on inpatient care, leading to inequities in FN management. Standardized use of risk stratification tools, such as the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and Clinical Index of Stable Febrile Neutropenia (CISNE) scores, is essential for equitable FN management. Globally, oncology nurses play a critical role in optimizing FN care to reduce hospital admissions in low-risk patients. OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study aimed to determine the proportion of FN patients classified as low risk using the MASCC and CISNE scores, evaluate their clinical outcomes, and assess the feasibility of outpatient management. METHODS: A retrospective audit of adult patients with solid tumors admitted with FN was conducted at a UK NHS cancer center over a 6-month period. Data on MASCC/CISNE scores, clinical outcomes, length of stay, and antibiotic use were extracted from electronic records. Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were performed. A cost analysis estimated potential financial savings from outpatient management. RESULTS: Of 18 FN admissions, 11 (61.1%) were classified as low risk by MASCC, and 6 (54.5%) of these were also low risk by CISNE. No adverse events were observed. The median length of stay was shorter for MASCC low-risk patients v high-risk patients (6 v 8 days, P = .043). Estimated cost savings were approximately £30,000 over 6 months. Some UK centers have successfully implemented outpatient FN pathways, but variation in risk stratification and systemic inequities exist. CONCLUSIONS: Oncology nurses are key to standardizing FN risk assessment and advocating for equitable outpatient FN care. Addressing disparities in low-risk FN management may optimize healthcare resources and improve patient experience.
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DIVERT-Ca: unveiling the hidden link between acute diverticulitis and colorectal cancer risk-multicentre retrospective study.INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, accounting for approximately 10% of all malignancies. Emerging trends of association with risk factors such as diverticulitis highlight the need for updated screening and follow-up protocols. We aimed to examine risk factors associated with the development of CRC within 12 months following an episode of acute diverticulitis, and identify areas to streamline follow-up. METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicentre study of adult patients admitted in 2022 with computed tomography (CT) confirmed acute diverticulitis across four large NHS Trusts in the UK. Patient demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentation, vital signs, laboratory results, details of in-patient stay, and follow-up investigations were collected and analysed. Our primary outcome was the incidence of CRC within 12 months of index presentation with acute diverticulitis. Analysed secondary outcomes were potential patient risk factors associated with a diagnosis of CRC and follow-up protocols. All statistical analysis was performed using R (version 4.4) and P-values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 542 patients with acute diverticulitis over the study period were included. The median age of our cohort was 62 (51-73) years, and 204 (37.6%) were male. Ten (1.8%) patients were diagnosed with CRC within the 12-month period. Hinchey grade Ib was significantly associated with CRC (OR 4.51, P = 0.028). Colonoscopic follow-up requests were associated with age between 40 and 60 years, mild white cell count (WCC) elevation, and a hospital stay of 3-7 days. Male gender, age between 18 and 40 years, and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) were all strongly associated with CRC but not statistically significant. Follow-up was inconsistent with 53.7% of the cohort having luminal investigations. CONCLUSION: The incidence of CRC was in-keeping with published literature. Hinchey grade 1b was significantly associated with a subsequent CRC diagnosis. These findings emphasise the need for specialised radiological review of CT scans to detect underlying malignancy. Moreover, standardised follow-up protocols following an episode of acute diverticulitis are needed to avoid missing malignant lesions.
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HistoKernel: Whole slide image level Maximum Mean Discrepancy kernels for pan-cancer predictive modelling.In computational pathology, labels are typically available only at the whole slide image (WSI) or patient level, necessitating weakly supervised learning methods that aggregate patch-level features or predictions to produce WSI-level scores for clinically significant tasks such as cancer subtype classification or survival analysis. However, existing approaches lack a theoretically grounded framework to capture the holistic distributional differences between the patch sets within WSIs, limiting their ability to accurately and comprehensively model the underlying pathology. To address this limitation, we introduce HistoKernel, a novel WSI-level Maximum Mean Discrepancy (MMD) kernel designed to quantify distributional similarity between WSIs using their local feature representation. HistoKernel enables a wide range of applications, including classification, regression, retrieval, clustering, survival analysis, multimodal data integration, and visualization of large WSI datasets. Additionally, HistoKernel offers a novel perturbation-based method for patch-level explainability. Our analysis over large pan-cancer datasets shows that HistoKernel achieves performance that typically matches or exceeds existing state-of-the-art methods across diverse tasks, including WSI retrieval (n = 9324), drug sensitivity regression (n = 551), point mutation classification (n = 3419), and survival analysis (n = 2291). By pioneering the use of kernel-based methods for a diverse range of WSI-level predictive tasks, HistoKernel opens new avenues for computational pathology research especially in terms of rapid prototyping on large and complex computational pathology datasets. Code and interactive visualization are available at: https://histokernel.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/.
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Global practice patterns of sentinel lymph node biopsy in endometrial cancer: a survey from the European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (ENYGO).OBJECTIVE: This survey aimed to evaluate trends in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for endometrial cancer among members of the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO) and the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey among gynecologic oncologists over 40 years of age consisting of 30 questions. It was distributed to ESGO and IGCS members via Survey Monkey and Qualtrics between September and December 2022. Surveys were excluded in the analysis if >50% of questions were incomplete. Statistical analysis, performed with SPSS version 27.0. RESULTS: A total of 302 (70.2%) of 430 participants completed the survey, with 159 (52.6%) affiliated with ESGO and 143 (47.4%) with IGCS. The majority were male 206 (68.2%), and 170 (56.3%) were based in Europe. Most respondents (n = 261, 86.4%) were certified gynecologic oncologists. Indocyanine green was the most common tracer used (n = 234, 77.5%), with higher rates of blue dye injections among IGCS respondents (p = .002). The predominant injection volume was 4 cm3 (51%, n = 154). Most respondents (n = 232, 76.8%) used a combined superficial and deep ectocervical injection technique, with a higher proportion of superficial injections alone in the IGCS respondents (25.9% vs 11.9%, p = .003). Nearly half of the respondents (44.4%, n = 134) started SLN mapping at the uterine artery and continued dissecting laterally. In cases of mapping failure, 77.5% (n = 234) opted for side-specific lymphadenectomy. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center algorithm was followed by 69.5% (n = 210), with 45.7% (n = 138) routinely using ex-vivo green fluorescence or gamma counter measurements. Finally, there was a higher adoption of immunohistochemistry for SLN ultra-staging in ESGO (n = 116, 73%) compared to the IGCS respondents (n = 94, 65.7%), (p = .047). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed significant variations in SLN biopsy practices for endometrial cancer, underscoring the need for global standardization through harmonized guidelines, consistent training, and international collaboration to improve staging accuracy and patient outcomes.
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Value of endometrial biopsy in patients with hysteroscopically atrophic endometrium in patients with postmenopausal bleeding.PURPOSE: To determine the rate of precancer and cancer in women presenting with PMB who have a visually atrophic endometrium at hysteroscopy and assess the value of endometrial biopsy in this situation and the adequacy of the samples obtained. METHODS: Retrospective reviews of all patients with a visually atrophic endometrium at hysteroscopy who had presented with PMB and had an ET > / = 4 mm or ET < 4 mm with focal changes or irregular features between 2013 and 2024 at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton were included (n = 1096). Patients who had previously had cancer or precancer or had unclear hysteroscopy findings were excluded. The endometrial biopsy histology result was considered the main outcome measure. RESULTS: 188 patients did not have a biopsy performed (17.15%), 660 patients had benign pathology (60.22%), and 239 patients had an inadequate sample result (21.81%). Nine patients had precancerous changes (0.82%). The rate of cancer was 0.00% (n = 0). The NPV of a visually atrophic endometrial cavity at hysteroscopy in detecting precancer or cancer was 99.2%. Patients with an ET < 4 mm pre-hysteroscopy and an atrophic endometrial cavity at hysteroscopy were 2.25 times more likely than those whose ET is > 4 mm to have an inadequate sample (p < 0.001, 95% CI 1.61-3.16). 10 patients who had an inadequate sample at initial biopsy had a repeat inadequate sample (n = 23, 43.48%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of precancer/cancer in patients presenting with PMB with a visually atrophic endometrium at hysteroscopy is low. Many patients within this cohort have an inadequate sample at biopsy, and therefore, repeat sampling is of questionable value.
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Biomarkers associated with survival in patients with platinum-refractory urothelial carcinoma treated with paclitaxelBackground: Taxane- based chemotherapy is widely used in patients with platinum- and immunotherapy refractory, metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). Outcomes are poor and biomarkers associated with outcome are lacking. We aim to identify cancer hallmarks associated with survival in patients receiving paclitaxel. Methods: Whole-transcriptome profiles were generated for a subset of patients enrolled in a randomised phase II study investigating paclitaxel and pazopanib in platinum refractory mUC (PLUTO, EudraCT 2011-001841-34). Estimates of gene expression were calculated and input into the Almac proprietary analysis pipeline and signature scores were calculated using ClaraT V3.0.0. Ten key gene signatures were assessed: Immuno-Oncology, Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition, Angiogenesis, Proliferation, Cell Death, Genome Instability, Energetics, Inflammation, Immortality and Evading Growth. Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: 38 and 45 patients treated with paclitaxel or pazopanib were included. Patients with high genome instability expression treated with paclitaxel had significantly improved survival with a HR of 0.29 (95% CI: 0.14-0.61, p=0.001) and HR 0.34 (95% CI: 0.17-0.69, p=0.003) for PFS and OS, respectively. Similarly, patients with high evading growth suppressor expression treated with paclitaxel had improved PFS and OS with a HR of 0.35 (95% CI: 0.19-0.77, p=0.007) and HR 0.46 (95% CI: 0.23-0.91, p=0.026), respectively. No other gene signatures had significant impact on outcome. In both paclitaxel and pazopanib cohorts, angiogenesis activation was associated with worse PFS and OS, and VEGF targeted therapy did not improve outcomes. Conclusion: High Genome-instability and Evading-growth suppressor biologies are associated with improved survival in patients with platinum refractory mUC receiving paclitaxel. These may refine mUC risk stratification and guide treatment decision in the future.
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Dataset for reporting of the invasive carcinoma of the breast: recommendations from the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR)BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Current national or regional guidelines for the pathology reporting on invasive breast cancer differ in certain aspects, resulting in divergent reporting practice and a lack of comparability of data. Here we report on a new international dataset for the pathology reporting of resection specimens with invasive cancer of the breast. The dataset was produced under the auspices of the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR), a global alliance of major (inter-)national pathology and cancer organizations. METHODS AND RESULTS: The established ICCR process for dataset development was followed. An international expert panel consisting of breast pathologists, a surgeon, and an oncologist prepared a draft set of core and noncore data items based on a critical review and discussion of current evidence. Commentary was provided for each data item to explain the rationale for selecting it as a core or noncore element, its clinical relevance, and to highlight potential areas of disagreement or lack of evidence, in which case a consensus position was formulated. Following international public consultation, the document was finalized and ratified, and the dataset, which includes a synoptic reporting guide, was published on the ICCR website. CONCLUSIONS: This first international dataset for invasive cancer of the breast is intended to promote high-quality, standardized pathology reporting. Its widespread adoption will improve consistency of reporting, facilitate multidisciplinary communication, and enhance comparability of data, all of which will help to improve the management of invasive breast cancer patients.
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A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic performance of fluorescein-guided sentinel lymph node biopsy in early breast cancerBACKGROUND: Evaluation of axillary lymph nodes status in cN0 axilla is performed by sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) utilizing a combination of radioactive isotope and blue dye or alternative to isotope like Indocyanine green (ICG). Both are very resource-intensive; which has prompted development of low-cost technique of Fluorescein Sodium (FS)-guided SLNB. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the diagnostic performance of FS-guided SLNB in early breast cancer. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of FS for sentinel lymph node biopsy. METHODS: Eligibility criteria: Studies where SLNB was performed using FS. INFORMATION SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library and online clinical trial registers. Risk of bias: Articles were assessed for risk of bias using the QUADAS-2 tool. SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS: The main summary measures were pooled Sentinel Lymph Node Identification Rate (SLN-IR) and pooled False Negative Rate (FNR) using random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 45 articles were retrieved by the initial systematic search. 7 out of the 45 studies comprising a total of 332 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled SLN-IR was 93.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-0.97; 87% to 97%). Five validation studies were included for pooling the false negative rate and included a total of 211 patients. The pooled FNR was 5.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9-9.07). CONCLUSION: Fluorescein-guided SLNB is a viable option for detection of lymph node metastases in clinically node negative patients with early breast cancer. It achieves a high pooled Sentinel Lymph Node Identification Rate (SLN-IR) of 93% with a false negative rate of 5.6% for the detection of axillary lymph node metastasis.
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Regular follow-up with cervical cytology is of questionable value following surgical treatment of microinvasive cervical cancer.OBJECTIVES: To assess the follow-up smears and their outcomes of patients with conservatively managed early-stage cervical cancer as per UK guidelines within our service. To evaluate whether intensive follow-up can detect pre-cancer early compared to the standard 3 yearly follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review. METHODS: All patients treated for early stage (stage 1A1 and 1A2) with cervical cancer from 01/2002 to 01/2020 at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton were included. Patients who had initial hysterectomy were excluded from our analysis. Review conducted using electronic patient records for treatment, histology, and follow-up smears. Number of abnormal follow-up smears and number of recurrent cervical cancers were considered the main outcome measures. RESULTS: 98 cases were identified. 81 (82.65 %) were stage 1A1 and 17 (17.35 %) were stage 1A2. 74 (75.51 %) patients had squamous histology and 24 (24.49 %) had adenocarcinomas. Median follow-up was 11.08 years (4043 days). 510 follow-up smears were performed, of which 33 (6.47 %) were abnormal. 5 of these abnormal smears showed low grade dyskaryosis (0.98 %) and 2 smears showed high grade dyskaryosis (0.39 %). The positive predictive value of follow-up smears to detect pre-cancerous changes was 5.71 %. There were no recurrent cancers detected. CONCLUSIONS: Microinvasive cervical cancer is effectively managed with conservative surgery. There were no recurrent cancers detected in our cohort during follow-up and there were only 2 high grade dyskaryoses detected (n = 2/510, 0.39 %). We therefore believe that reducing the intensity of follow up of these patients should be considered.
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Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes for patients with renal cell carcinoma in England: a retrospective cohort studyBackground and Objective Considering the rapidly evolving treatment landscape of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), recent descriptions of the RCC population in the UK are lacking, as are real-world data on treatment and patient outcomes. To analyse the demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and overall survival of patients with RCC using national data sets in England. Patients and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with RCC (all stages) between 2014-2018 using demographic, clinical, cancer registration, and treatment data. Patients were followed until death or study end (31 December 2020). Treatments administered in each line were described to understand treatment sequencing. Kaplan–Meier methods were used for time-to-event analyses. Factors associated with discontinuation and survival were identified using Cox proportional hazard models. Results and Limitations Among 32,577 included patients, the median age at diagnosis was 66 years, 63.4% were male, and 6,786 (20.8%) had metastatic RCC at diagnosis. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) monotherapy was the most common treatment class across lines. Over three quarters of patients (78.5% [95% CI 78.0–78.9]) were alive one year after diagnosis (93.2% in the non-metastatic at diagnosis subgroup and 37.1% among patients with metastases at diagnosis). At three years post initial diagnosis, 18.0% patients were alive in the metastatic at diagnosis subgroup. Rapid evolution of the treatment landscape limits the results regarding lines of therapy. Conclusion This large-scale study provides insight on characteristics of patients with RCC, and it highlights the need for better treatment options to improve survival. MicroAbstract: Treatment pathways and survival outcomes were assessed for patients with the most common form of kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) in England using national data. In total, 32,577 patients were included. Over three quarters of patients were alive one year after diagnosis (93.2% in the non-metastatic subgroup and 37.1% among patients with metastases at diagnosis).
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Mammographic surveillance after breast cancer.Early detection of local recurrence has been shown to improve survival. What is unclear is how frequently mammography should be performed, how long surveillance should continue and how the answers to these questions vary with tumour pathology, patients age and surgery type. Many of these questions are not directly answerable from the current literature. While some of these questions will be answered by the Mammo50 study, evidence from local recurrence rates, tumour biology and the lead time of mammography can be used to guide policy. Young age is the strongest predictor of local recurrence and given the short lead time of screening in women under 50, these women require annual mammography. Women over 50 with HER-2 positive and triple negative breast cancer have higher rates of local recurrence after breast conserving surgery (BCS) than women with luminal cancers. Women with HER-2 positive and triple negative breast cancer also have a higher rate of recurrence in years 1-3 post surgery. Annual mammography in year 1-4 would appear justified. Women over 50 with luminal cancers have low rates of local recurrence and no early peak. Recurrence growth will be low due to tumour biology and hormone therapy. Biennial mammography after yr 2 would seem appropriate. Women over 50 following mastectomy have no early peak in contralateral cancers so the frequency should be determined by the lead time of screening. This would suggest 2 yearly mammography for women aged 50-60 while 3 yearly mammography may suffice for women over 60.
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Consensus on surgical technique for sentinel lymph node dissection in cervical cancer.OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish a consensus on the surgical technique for sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection in cervical cancer. METHODS: A 26 question survey was emailed to international expert gynecological oncology surgeons. A two-step modified Delphi method was used to establish consensus. After a first round of online survey, the questions were amended and a second round, along with semistructured interviews was performed. Consensus was defined using a 70% cut-off for agreement. RESULTS: Twenty-five of 38 (65.8%) experts responded to the first and second rounds of the online survey. Agreement ≥70% was reached for 13 (50.0%) questions in the first round and for 15 (57.7%) in the final round. Consensus agreement identified 15 recommended, three optional, and five not recommended steps. Experts agreed on the following recommended procedures: use of indocyanine green as a tracer; superficial (with or without deep) injection at 3 and 9 o'clock; injection at the margins of uninvolved mucosa avoiding vaginal fornices; grasping the cervix with forceps only in part of the cervix is free of tumor; use of a minimally invasive approach for SLN biopsy in the case of simple trachelectomy/conization; identification of the ureter, obliterated umbilical artery, and external iliac vessels before SLN excision; commencing the dissection at the level of the uterine artery and continuing laterally; and completing dissection in one hemi-pelvis before proceeding to the contralateral side. Consensus was also reached in recommending against injection at 6 and 12 o'clock, and injection directly into the tumor in cases of the tumor completely replacing the cervix; against removal of nodes through port without protective maneuvers; absence of an ultrastaging protocol; and against modifying tracer concentration at the time of re-injection after mapping failure. CONCLUSION: Recommended, optional, and not recommended steps of SLN dissection in cervical cancer have been identified based on consensus among international experts. These represent a surgical guide that may be used by surgeons in clinical trials and for quality assurance in routine practice.
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LymphActiv: A Digital Physical Activity Behavior Intervention for the Treatment of Lymphedema and Lipedema.Background: Lymphedema and lipedema are debilitating conditions with no proven drug or surgical therapy. Effective treatment requires self-management through movement and compression to reduce limb volume and the incidence of cellulitis. The addition of personalized everyday physical activity (PA) could be transformative, increasing the therapy window to include all waking hours per week and enabling an increased dose of PA. Aim: This service evaluation aimed to determine the feasibility of LymphActiv as a treatment option for lymphedema and lipedema patients. Methods: This service evaluation followed an open observational cohort design, including 55 patients who participated in LymphActiv over 24 weeks. Patients wore an objective PA monitor and interacted with their data in an online dashboard, alongside remote mentor support. Primary outcomes were changes to PA, body weight, limb volume and quality of life. Clinical assessments occurred at baseline and after the 24-week program. Noncompleters were used as a quasi-control group for comparison. Results: Thirty-seven patients completed, of which 81% improved PA. On average, completers reduced their right and left lower limb volumes by -1.8% and -2.1%, respectively. Completers also experienced small average weight losses of -1.2 kg. Noncompleters experienced small average increases in each of these outcome measures. Discussion: These results establish the value of LymphActiv, providing benefit to patients who might otherwise have deteriorated. For services, this could lead to substantial cost-savings through reduced admissions, greater patient independence, and less need for community health care input. The next step is to undertake a randomized, controlled trial comparing the intervention with standard care.
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Factors influencing older women's decision-making related to treatment of operable breast cancer: A qualitative systematic reviewObjective There is variation in practice in the treatment of older women with breast cancer. International guidelines highlight the importance of patient autonomy in treatment decision-making. The aim of this study is to identify factors which influence decision-making in older women with operable breast cancer, which will enable us to further understand how to support these patients. Methods Systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines was performed to identify factors which influence treatment decision-making in older women with operable breast cancer. Medline, Web of Science and SCOPUS were searched. Results The search yielded 5840 results; 13 articles met the inclusion criteria and reported on a total of 1118 women. Thematic analysis identified three key themes in which decision-making factors could be categorised. These were healthcare-related factors, patient-related factors and impact of treatment. Healthcare-related factors included communication with clinicians and provision of information. Patient-related factors were age, pre-existing knowledge, preconceptions of breast cancer and treatment, decision-making style and co-morbidities. The impact of treatment considerations included body image and effect on quality of life. Decision-making style was frequently reported; older women did not demonstrate one preferred style. Conclusions The findings have highlighted the complex interplay of factors which influence how older women make breast cancer treatment-decisions. Clinicians should have an awareness of the factors highlighted to maximise their ability to provide support and personalised care to older women with breast cancer whilst treatment decisions are made.
