In a nutshell This study compared nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) to either drug alone for the treatment of advanced melanoma. The authors concluded that nivolumab plus ipilimumab or nivolumab alone increased survival compared to ipilimumab alone for these patients. Some background Advanced melanoma is a type of skin cancer that...
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Surgery followed by chemotherapy improves the outcomes of patients with rectal cancer
In a nutshell This study investigated the effectiveness of surgery followed by chemotherapy without chemoradiotherapy (CRT) before surgery to treat rectal cancer. Researchers suggested that this treatment improves the outcomes of these patients. Some background Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. The standard...
Read MoreFocal high-intensity focussed ultrasound for the treatment of localized prostate cancer
In a nutshell This study aimed to evaluate the use of high-intensity focal ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. This study found that HIFU is a safe treatment with good oncological results and minimal side-effects. Some background High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive technique that uses...
Read MoreTotal testosterone density as a marker of tumor load in patients with prostate cancer
In a nutshell This study aimed to investigate a new way to evaluate prostate cancer risk, through the total testosterone density (TTD). This study found that TTD can be used to help manage patients with low-risk PCa. Some background Testosterone is a hormone that is made by the testicles. It usually fuels the growth of...
Read MoreLooking for patients with prostate cancer to test a combination of radiotherapy
In a nutshell This phase 2 trial will investigate the effectiveness of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) and radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) in patients with oligometastatic (cancer spread in 1-2 other tissues or organs) prostate cancer. The main outcome will be progression-free survival (PFS). This trial is recruiting in Maryland,...
Read MoreSearching patients with breast cancer to test EndoPredict
In a nutshell This trial will evaluate a molecular test, EndoPredict®, in the treatment of breast cancer. The main outcome will be the adherence rate to EndoPredict® results. This trial is recruiting in South Carolina, USA. It is sponsored by Myriad Genetic Laboratories. The details Adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) is...
Read MoreEvaluating long-term outcomes for stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.
In a nutshell This study wanted to find out if using stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) improves survival in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study found that this treatment resulted in good long-term survival and had few side effects. Some background Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is...
Read MoreDuravalumab plus chemotherapy for patients with triple negative breast cancer
In a nutshell This study evaluated the effectiveness of durvalumab (Imfinzi) combined with chemotherapy for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study found that more patients treated with durvalumab had a complete disappearance of all signs of cancer (complete response) compared to placebo. Some...
Read MoreHormone deprivation and radiotherapy for locally-advanced prostate cancer.
In a nutshell This article investigated the safety and effectiveness of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) combined with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer (LAPC). The authors concluded that ADT combined with EBRT is a safe and effective treatment option for these...
Read MoreCan positron emission tomography predict the outcomes of patients with high risk rectal cancer?
In a nutshell This study investigated the use of 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) to follow-up during treatment and predict the outcomes of patients with high-risk localized rectal cancer. Researchers suggested that this method can be very useful to assess the tumor before the surgery and predict response to...
Read MoreSearching for patients with prostate cancer to test low-dose or high-dose brachytherapy
In a nutshell This phase 3 trial is examining the effectiveness and safety of low dose rate (LDR) vs high dose rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy (BT) for patients with prostate cancer (PC). The main outcome to be measured will be the quality of life in terms of urinary symptoms. This trial is recruiting in British Columbia,...
Read MoreFurther surgery or non-surgical options for patients with remaining breast cancer after surgery
In a nutshell This study evaluated whether treating breast cancer that has not been completely removed with more surgery was more effective than non-surgical options such as chemotherapy. This study found that there was no difference in outcomes between treating with further surgery versus treating with a non-surgical option. Some...
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