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Histological transformation of marginal zone lymphoma (tMZL) into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is associated with poor outcomes. Clinical characteristics associated with transformation risk and outcome after transformation are largely unknown due to scarcity of data. In this population-based study, competing risk analyses were performed to elucidate clinical characteristics associated with developing transformation among 1793 MZL patients using the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Cox regression analyses were performed to elucidate clinical characteristics associated with risk of relapse and mortality after transformation. Transformation occurred in 75 (4%) out of 1793 MZL patients. Elevated LDH and nodal MZL subtype at MZL diagnosis were associated with an increased risk, and radiotherapy with a reduced risk of developing tMZL. Most tMZL patients received R-(mini)CHOP (n = 53, 71%). Age >60 years and (immuno)chemotherapy before transformation were associated with an increased risk of relapse and mortality after transformation. Two-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 66% (95% CI 52–77%) and 75% (95% CI 62–85%) for R-(mini)CHOP-treated tMZL patients, as compared to a PFS and OS both of 41% (95% CI 19–63%) for patients treated otherwise. Our study offers comprehensive insights into characteristics associated with transformation and survival after transformation, thereby optimizing guidelines and patient counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furthermore, patients diagnosed with MM at autopsy ( I n i = 46) and synchronous malignancies within a time interval of 3 months before or after MM diagnosis ( I n i = 237) were excluded. The rapidly evolving treatment landscape of multiple myeloma (MM) has dramatically improved the survival of MM patients over time. In the second model (M2), patients with a PMD were classified as patients (a) with or (b) without receipt of systemic therapy and/or radiotherapy before MM diagnosis. By assessing the impact of an SPM on mortality risk, we observed a higher mortality risk among MM patients with a PMD than MM patients without a PMD. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: It is unclear how treatment advances impacted the population‐level survival of patients with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (LPL/WM). Therefore, we assessed trends in first‐line therapy and relative survival (RS) among patients with LPL/WM diagnosed in the Netherlands between 1989 and 2018 (N = 6232; median age, 70 years; 61% males) using data from the nationwide Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients were grouped into three age groups (<65, 66–75 and >75 years) and four calendar periods. Overall, treatment with anti‐neoplastic agents within 1 year post‐diagnosis gradually decreased over time, following a broader application of an initial watch‐and‐wait approach. Approximately 40% of patients received anti‐neoplastic therapy during 2011–2018. Furthermore, use of chemotherapy alone decreased over time, following an increased application of chemoimmunotherapy. Detailed data among 1596 patients diagnosed during 2014–2018 revealed that dexamethasone‐rituximab‐cyclophosphamide was the most frequently applied regimen; its use increased from 14% to 39% between 2014 and 2018. The 5‐year RS increased significantly over time, particularly since the introduction of rituximab in the early–mid 2000s. The 5‐year RS during 1989–1995 was 75%, 65%, and 46% across the age groups compared to 93%, 85%, and 79% during 2011–2018. However, the survival improvement was less pronounced after 2011. Collectively, the impressive survival improvement may be accounted for by broader application of rituximab‐containing therapy. The lack of survival improvement in the post‐rituximab era warrants studies across multiple lines of therapy to further improve survival in LPL/WM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of risk factors for early mortality (EM) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients may contribute to different therapeutic approaches in patients at risk for EM. This population-based study aimed to assess trends in EM and risk factors for EM among MM patients diagnosed in the Netherlands. All MM patients, newly diagnosed between 1989 and 2018, were identified in the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients were categorized into three calendar periods (1989–1998, 1999–2008, 2009–2018) and into five age groups (≤65, 66–70, 71–75, 76–80, >80 years). EM was defined as death by any cause ≤180 days post-diagnosis. We included 28,328 MM patients (median age 70 years; 55% males). EM decreased from 22% for patients diagnosed in 1989–1998 to 13% for patients diagnosed in 2009–2018 (P < 0.01) and this decrease was observed among all age groups. Exact causes of death could not be elucidated. Besides patient's age, we found that features related to a more aggressive disease presentation, and patient characteristics reflecting patients' physical condition were predictive of EM. In summary, EM decreased from 1999 onwards. Nevertheless, EM remains high, especially for patients aged >70 years. Therefore, novel strategies should be explored to improve the outcome of patients at risk for EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Guideline adherence remains a challenge in clinical practice, despite guidelines' ascribed potential to improve patient outcomes. We studied the level of adherence to recommendations from Dutch national cancer treatment guidelines, and the influence of general and cancer-specific guideline characteristics on adherence. Methods: Based on data from a national cancer registry, adherence was evaluated for 15 treatment recommendations for breast, colorectal, prostate and lung cancer, and melanoma. Recommendations were selected by representatives of the medical specialist associations responsible for developing and implementing the guidelines. We used multivariable multilevel analysis to calculate mean adherence and variation between individual hospitals. Results: Mean adherence to the different treatment recommendations ranged from 40 to 99%. Adherence differed only slightly between older and newer guidelines and between recommendations with low, moderate or high levels of evidence (range 79--84% and 77--91%, respectively), while adherence differed more between recommendations for different cancer types (range 54--99%), different treatment modalities (adherence ranged from 40 to 92%) or recommendations that advised against or recommended in favour of particular treatment (adherence ranged from 75 to 98%). Conclusion: We found significant variation in adherence between different cancer treatment guidelines. While some guideline characteristics that seem to explain this variation may be considered difficult to modify, the potential for variance across cancer types and treatment modalities suggests that adherence could be further improved. At the same time, these results warrant tailored strategies for the improvement of adherence to clinical practice guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Decisions about palliative systemic treatment are key elements of palliative and end-of-life care. Such decisions must often be made in complex, clinical situations. Aim: To explore the content of medical records of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer with specific emphasis on doctors’ notes about decisions on palliative systemic treatment. Design: Medical record review (2009–2012) of 147 cancer patients containing 276 notes about palliative systemic treatment. We described the proportion of notes/medical records containing pre-specified items relevant to palliative systemic treatment. We selected patients using the nationwide Netherlands Cancer Registry. Setting: Hospital based. Results: About 75% of all notes reported doctors’ considerations to start/continue palliative systemic treatment, including information about the prognosis (47%), possible survival gain (22%), patients’ wish for palliative systemic treatment (33%), impact on quality of life (8%), and patient’s age (3%). Comorbidity (82%), smoking status (78%) and drinking behaviour (63%) were more often documented than patients’ performance status (16%). Conversations with the patient/family about palliative systemic treatment were reported in 49% of all notes. Response measurements and dose adaptations were documented in 75% and 71% of patients who received palliative systemic treatment respectively. Conclusion: Medical records provide insight into the decision-making process about palliative systemic treatment. The content and detail of doctors’ notes, however, widely varies especially concerning their palliative systemic treatment considerations. Registries that aim to measure the quality of (end-of-life) care must be aware of this outcome. Future research should further explore how medical records can best assist in evaluating the quality of the decision-making process in the patient’s final stage of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study conducted on Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Topics discussed include CMML characterized by myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms, a chart depicting demographic characteristics of patients suffering from chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in Netherlands and treatment approaches including hypomethylating agents, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and hydroxycarbamide.

Background. Worldwide marked changes have been observed in the incidence and survival of testicular cancer (TC) during the last decades. We conducted a study on trends in TC incidence, treatment, survival, and mortality in the Netherlands during the period 1970-2009 with specific focus on trends according to age, histology and stage of disease. Methods. Data from the Eindhoven cancer registry, the Netherlands cancer registry and Statistics Netherlands was used. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates and five-year relative survival were calculated. Treatment was categorized into five major groups. Results. TC incidence showed a substantial annual increase of 3.9% in the period 1989-2009. The incidence increased for all stages of both seminoma and non-seminoma TC. Stage distribution for the non-seminoma patients shifted towards more localized disease. Most patients received primary treatment according to the guidelines. Five-year relative survival improved (non-significantly) for most groups of stage and histology. TC mortality dropped sharply in the 1970s and 1980s and remained relatively stable thereafter. Conclusion. This study shows that incidence of TC has increased sharply in the Netherlands. Relative survival is high and improved in most disease stages. There is a growing demand for medical care of newly diagnosed TC patients and for the rapidly increasing number of prevalent TC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a study analyzing incidence data on all malignant cancers diagnosed between 1989 and 2006 in the Netherlands. The data was retrieved from the population-based Netherlands Cancer Registry. The study found that the most common cancers which prevailed in a combination include squamous cell skin cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. Multiple malignancies (MMs) are becoming more important in the field of cancer surveillance as the number of survivors is increasing.

Associations between dietary intake of various fats and specific K-ras mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC) were investigated within the framework of The Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer (NLCS). After 7.3 years of follow-up and with exclusion of the first 2.3 years, 448 colon and 160 rectal cancer patients and 2948 subcohort members (55–69 years at baseline) were available for data-analyses. Mutation analysis of the K-ras gene was performed on all archival colon and rectal adenocarcinoma specimens. Case-cohort analyses were used to compute adjusted incidence rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for colon and rectal cancer cases and for K-ras mutation subgroups. The intake of total, saturated and monounsaturated fat was not significantly associated with colon or rectal cancer. High intake of dietary polyunsaturated fat and, specifically, linoleic acid is associated with an increased risk of mutated K-ras colon tumours. The RRs for 1 SD of increase of polyunsaturated fat and linoleic acid were 1.21 (95% CI 1.05–1.41) and 1.22 (95% CI 1.05–1.42), respectively, and similar associations were observed for both G > A transitions and G > T or G > C transversions in the colon. In contrast, no significant associations were observed with rectal cancer risk, overall nor with specific K-ras mutation status. A high intake of polyunsaturated fat, in particular linoleic acid, may be an important dietary risk factor for K-ras mutated colon tumours, possibly by generating G > A transitions or G > T or G > C transversions in the K-ras oncogene. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents a study that provided evidence for the interruption of Ras signaling in sporadic colorectal cancer by either genetic activation of the K-ras oncogene or epigenetic silencing of the putative tumor suppressor gene RASSF1A. Factors that characterize human cancer; Similar p21 proteins included in the Ras family of small GTPases; Transcripts encoded by the gene for RASSF1.