This Week in Science Yeston, Jake; Osborne, Ian S.; Foley, John F. ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
09/2018, Letnik:
361, Številka:
6408
Journal Article
This Week in Science Vinson, Valda; Kelly, Priscilla N.; Osborne, Ian S. ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
03/2018, Letnik:
359, Številka:
6379
Journal Article
Lower respiratory infections (LRIs) are the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5, despite the existence of vaccines against many of their aetiologies. Furthermore, more than half of ...these deaths occur in Africa. Geospatial models can provide highly detailed estimates of trends subnationally, at the level where implementation of health policies has the greatest impact. We used Bayesian geostatistical modelling to estimate LRI incidence, prevalence and mortality in children under 5 subnationally in Africa for 2000-2017, using surveys covering 1.46 million children and 9,215,000 cases of LRI. Our model reveals large within-country variation in both health burden and its change over time. While reductions in childhood morbidity and mortality due to LRI were estimated for almost every country, we expose a cluster of residual high risk across seven countries, which averages 5.5 LRI deaths per 1,000 children per year. The preventable nature of the vast majority of LRI deaths mandates focused health system efforts in specific locations with the highest burden.
More than 50% of all gynaecological cancers can be classified as rare tumours (defined as an annual incidence of <6 per 100,000) and such tumours represent an important challenge for clinicians.
Rare ...cancers account for more than one fifth of all new cancer diagnoses, more than any of the single common cancers alone. Reviewing the RARECAREnet database, some of the tumours occur infrequently, whilst others because of their natural history have a high prevalence, and therefore appear to be more common, although their incidence is also rare. Harmonization of medical practice, guidelines and novel trials are needed to identify rare tumours and facilitate the development of new treatments. Ovarian tumours are the focus of this review, but we comment on other rare gynaecological tumours, as the diagnosis and treatment challenges faced are similar.
This requires European collaboration, international partnerships, harmonization of treatment and collaboration to overcome the regulatory barriers to conduct international trials. Whilst randomized trials can be done in many tumour types, there are some for which conducting even single arm studies may be challenging. For these tumours alternative study designs, robust collection of data through national registries and audits could lead to improvements in the treatment of rare tumours. In addition, concentring the care of patients with rare tumours into a limited number of centres will help to build expertise, facilitate trials and improve outcomes.
Abstract only
TPS5096
Background: Adjuvant ADT with an LHRH analog (LHRHA) given before, during and after radiotherapy (RT) is standard of care for high risk localised prostate cancer (PC). ...Enzalutamide is more effective in metastatic disease than conventional non-steroidal anti-androgens (NSAA). We hypothesize that addition of enzalutamide to adjuvant ADT and RT will improve outcomes. The aim is to determine the efficacy of enzalutamide compared with NSAA as part of adjuvant ADT with LHRHA in men planned for RT for localized high risk or node-positive PC. Methods: DESIGN: Open label, randomised, phase 3 trial including ANZ, USA, UK, Ireland and Europe. ENDPOINTS: OS (primary), cause-specific survival, PSA PFS, clinical PFS, time to subsequent hormonal therapy, time to castration-resistant disease (PCWG2 criteria), metastasis free survival, adverse events and HRQOL. Tertiary objectives: identification of prognostic/predictive biomarkers from archival tumour tissue and 4 serial fasting bloods. 800 target participants with 5.5 yrs minimum follow-up. 80% power to detect 33% reduction in the hazard of death assuming 5-year survival rate of 76% amongst controls. TREATMENT: Participants are randomised 1:1 to enzalutamide 160mg daily for 24 months versus conventional NSAA for 6 months. All participants receive LHRHA for 24 months and RT starting after week 16. RT delivered as 78Gy in 39 Fx or 46Gy in 23 Fx plus brachytherapy (nodal RT optional for N0, mandatory for N1). ASSESSMENTS: Baseline, then every 8 weeks until year 2, then 3-4 monthly until year 5, 6-monthly until year 7, then annually. CT/MRI and bone scan at baseline, PSA progression, 6 monthly until re-initiation of ADT, when PCWG2 criteria for CRPC are met and then 3 monthly until evidence of metastases. As of 1
st
February 2017, 55 of 67 sites open with 398 patients recruited. EORTC sites expected to open from Quarter 1 2017. ENZARAD is an investigator-initiated cooperative group trial led by ANZUP Cancer Trials Group with funds and product from Astellas. ANZUP is supported by Cancer Australia and previously CI NSW. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02446444, ANZCTR: ACTRN12614000126617 Clinical trial information: NCT02446444.
This Week in Science Mueller, Kristen L.; Ray, L. Bryan; Purnell, Beverly A. ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
07/2016, Letnik:
353, Številka:
6297
Journal Article
Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative conditions of humans and animals. Prions consist principally of a post-translationally modified form of prion protein (PrP), Prp(Sc), which is ...partly protease resistant. Transmission of prion diseases between species is limited by a 'species barrier' determined in part by the degree of sequence homology between host PrP and inoculated PrP(Sc) and by prion strain type. The epidemic of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the United Kingdom and other countries has led to concerns that transmission to humans may occur by dietary exposure. BSE appears to be caused by a single strain, distinct from those of natural or experimental scrapie, which is also seen in the new prion diseases of cats and ruminants that have presumably arisen from dietary BSE exposure. Here we show that transgenic mice expressing human PrP in addition to mouse PrP can generate human PrP(Sc) and 'human' prions. These mice therefore provide a model to study experimentally the species barrier limiting BSE transmission to humans. Incubation periods to BSE in transgenic mice are not shortened by expression of human PrP, and only mouse PrP(Sc) is produced in response to such challenge.
This Week in Science Riddihough, Guy; Osborne, Ian S.; Nusinovich, Yevgeniya ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
02/2016, Letnik:
351, Številka:
6275
Journal Article
Abstract only
TPS156
Background: Adjuvant ADT with an LHRH analog (LHRHA) given before, during and after radiotherapy (RT) is standard of care for high risk localised prostate cancer (PC). ...Enzalutamide improves overall survival (OS) in castration-resistant, metastatic prostate cancer. We hypothesized that the addition of enzalutamide to adjuvant ADT and RT will improve outcomes. The aim is to determine the effects of enzalutamide versus a conventional non-steroidal anti-androgen (NSAA) as part of neoadjuvant and adjuvant ADT in men undergoing RT for high risk, localized PC. Methods: DESIGN: Open label, randomised, phase 3 trial including ANZ, USA, UK, Ireland and Europe. ENDPOINTS: OS (primary), cause-specific survival, PSA progression free survival (PFS), clinical PFS, time to subsequent hormonal therapy, time to castration-resistant disease (PCWG2 criteria), metastasis free survival (MFS), adverse events and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). CORRELATIVE OBJECTIVES: identification of prognostic/predictive biomarkers from archival tumour tissue and serial blood samples. SAMPLE SIZE: 800 participants with a minimum follow-up of 5.5 yrs is designed to give 80% power to detect 33% reduction in the hazard of death assuming 5-year survival rate of 76% amongst controls. TREATMENT: Enzalutamide 160mg daily for 24 months versus conventional NSAA for 6 months. All participants receive LHRHA for 24 months, and RT starting about week 16 delivered as 78Gy in 39#, or 46Gy in 23# plus brachytherapy (nodal RT optional for N0, mandatory for N1). ASSESSMENTS: Baseline, then every 8 weeks until year 2, then 3-4 monthly until year 5, 6-monthly until year 7, then annually. Imaging with CT/MRI and bone scan at baseline, PSA progression, then 6 monthly until re-initiation of ADT, when PCWG2 criteria for CRPC are met and then 3 monthly until evidence of metastases. 623 participants recruited from 61 sites as of 16 October 2017. ENZARAD is an investigator-initiated cooperative group trial led by ANZUP Cancer Trials Group with funds and product from Astellas. Clinical trial information: NCT02446444.
BackgroundChronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common neurological condition; surgical evacuation is the mainstay of treatment for symptomatic patients. No clear evidence exists regarding the impact ...of timing of surgery on outcomes. We investigated factors influencing time to surgery and its impact on outcomes of interest.MethodsPatients with CSDH who underwent burr-hole craniostomy were included. This is a subset of data from a prospective observational study conducted in the UK. Logistic mixed modelling was performed to examine the factors influencing time to surgery. The impact of time to surgery on discharge modified Rankin Scale (mRS), complications, recurrence, length of stay and survival was investigated with multivariable logistic regression analysis.Results656 patients were included. Time to surgery ranged from 0 to 44 days (median 1, IQR 1–3). Older age, more favorable mRS on admission, high preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale score, use of antiplatelet medications, comorbidities and bilateral hematomas were associated with increased time to surgery. Time to surgery showed a significant positive association with length of stay; it was not associated with outcome, complication rate, reoperation rate, or survival on multivariable analysis. There was a trend for patients with time to surgery of ≥7 days to have lower odds of favorable outcome at discharge (p=0.061).ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that time to surgery does not substantially impact on outcomes following CSDH. However, increasing time to surgery is associated with increasing length of stay. These results should not encourage delaying operations for patients when they are clinically indicated.
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