In a nutshell This study evaluated whether surgery of colorectal cancer (CRC) followed by chemotherapy (CT) improved the outcomes of patients with metastatic (spread) CRC compared to CT alone. The study found that there was no difference in patients' outcomes whether surgery was given or not. Some background CRC is the third most common cancer...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the effects of the removal of the breast tumor in patients newly diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer and bone metastasis only. The data showed that removal of the breast tumor improved survival outcomes and decreased the recurrence rates in these patients. Some background In stage IV breast cancer (BC), the...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) in the treatment of patients with oligometastatic (few metastases) cancer. The data showed that the use of SABR in these patients was associated with high overall survival and low toxicity. Some background Oligometastatic cancer (OMC)...
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In a nutshell This study looked survival rates of stage II rectal cancer patients who underwent different treatments. It compared radical surgery versus local excision with added-on chemoradiation. The article concluded that overall survival was not different between the treatments. Some background Radical surgery (RS – complete...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the benefits of chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients with inoperable liver metastasis (the cancer has spread to the liver). Researchers reported that chemotherapy increases survival in colorectal patients with inoperable liver metastasis. Some background Only 10-20% of colorectal patients with...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether diphencyprone could be used as a topical treatment in cutaneously metastatic melanoma. Some background Metastatic (spread of the cancer) melanoma is typically treated with topical and intralesional immunotherapies (restore or enhance the immune systems ability to fight). Topical therapy is...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether statin use can prevent prostate cancer recurrence after brachytherapy. Some background Brachytherapy is a form of radiation, where a radiation source is internally placed at the tumor site. It is sometimes given in combination with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT – radiation...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated the survival benefits of repeated removal of lung metastases in patients with colorectal cancer. Additionally, the authors aimed to identify which patients would benefit the most from this treatment. Some background Colorectal cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the colon (large intestine) or rectum...
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In a nutshell In this phase 3 clinical trial, researchers compared the safety and efficacy of vemurafenib to the standard chemotherapy drug for melanoma, dacarbazine. Some background A genetic defect (mutation) in protein called BRAF is present in approximately 50% of melanomas. BRAF helps cells grow and multiply, so BRAF mutations are responsible...
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In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial compared the safety and efficacy of dabrafenib to a standard treatment for melanoma, dacarbazine in patients with metastatic melanoma. Some background BRAF is a protein that helps cells grow and multiply. A genetic defect can cause the BRAF protein to malfunction (BRAF mutation). A BRAF mutation is...
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