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Plain language summary: Biomarkers may offer unforeseen insights into clinical diagnosis, as well as the likely course and outcome of a condition. In this paper, the focus is on the use of biological molecules found in body fluids or tissues for diagnosis and prediction of outcome in ovarian cancer patients. In cancer care, biomarkers are being used to develop personalised treatment plans for patients based on the unique characteristics of their tumour. This tailoring of care can be used to pursue specific targets identified by biomarkers, or treat the patient according to specific tumour characteristics. Surgery is one of the core treatments for ovarian cancer, whether it is offered in primary surgery or following chemotherapy in delayed surgery. Biomarkers already exist to guide the treatment of tumours with chemotherapy, but very little research has determined the value of biomarkers in tailoring surgical care for ovarian cancer. Such research is required to identify new biomarkers and assess their effectiveness in a clinical setting as well as to help identify specific tumour types to guide surgery. Biomarkers could help to determine the success of removing the disease surgically, or help to identify tumour deposits that persist after chemotherapy. All of these aspects would improve current practice. This Scientific Impact Paper highlights research that may pave the way towards bespoke surgery according to the biological characteristics of a tumour and aid gynaecological oncologists to provide surgical treatment according to individual need, rather than a blanket approach for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose UNC Medical Center converted to an electronic health record (EHR) in 2014. This conversion allowed for the transition of paper chemotherapy orders to be managed electronically. This article describes the process for converting inpatient paper chemotherapy orders into the new EHR in a safe and effective manner. Summary A collaborative interdisciplinary approach to the EHR transition enabled our organization to move from using paper chemotherapy orders to fully electronic chemotherapy treatment plans in both ambulatory and acute care areas. Active chemotherapy orders for acute care inpatients were reviewed and transcribed by two oncology pharmacists in the cancer hospital prior to being signed by an attending physician. The newly input orders were independently verified by two pharmacists in the cancer hospital inpatient pharmacy. Nurse review of the signed and verified treatment plans, along with reconciliation of the medication administration record ensured a safe transition to the new EHR workflow. Providers benefit from the ability to review treatment plans remotely, track changes, and include supportive medications in one consolidated location. The coordinated team effort allowed for a smooth transition with minimal interruptions to patient care. Conclusion The pharmacist-led, multidisciplinary conversion to electronic chemotherapy orders was safe, accurate, and occurred ahead of schedule for the EHR go-live. Advance communication and planning around scheduled inpatient admissions helped to minimize the impact of the transition from paper to electronic treatment plans. Both pharmacist and physician engagement were necessary to ensure a smooth transition for active inpatient treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment for cancer depends on the type of cancer, and the stage or its development, and thus the need for point-of-care technology that can allow rapid and precise detection of biomarkers is increasing. Here, we present a simple on chip electrical detection of Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). We rely on using a novel peptide modified plastic-paper microfluidic chips to perform efficient and specific impedimetric detection of AFP in human serum. The chips are prepared from a lower sheet of plastic and upper layer of cellulose chromatography paper modified with silver-20 wt% graphene printed electrodes. Diphenylalanine (FF) was proposed to involve in detection zone of the fabricated microchips in order to improve the sensing performance and the stability of immobilized antibodies according to amine-aldehyde reaction. The target protein is captured on the surface of microchips using specific monoclonal antibodies and the electrical response of the chip is monitored in the presence and absence of different concentrations of AFP. The influence of several parameters including the material types for screen printing of electrodes, FF concentrations, solvent and pH of FF solution on electrical response and cellulose fibers morphology was explored. The impedance measurements of AFP on the fabricated microchip in the optimized parameters exhibited a detection limit of 1 and 10 ng ml −1 in PBS and plasma, respectively. This platform developed here can be adopted to develop systems for rapid detection of biomarkers using portable electric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Most of target agents can be used with the same patterns and the same dosage in mild and moderate renal impairment. • It is difficult to draw scientific supported conclusions in cancer patients with severe, end-stage renal disease or HD. • Although renal toxicity of biological agents can be overcome by HD treatment, caution in these settings is still warranted. • A strong cooperation among oncologists, nephrologists and pharmacists is unavoidable to provide an optimal management for these patients. The increasing availability of novel biological anticancer agents has greatly improved the outcome of several cancer patients; unfortunately, data regarding efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of many of these agents in patients with chronic renal disease or on hemodialysis are scanty. Furthermore these results are controversial and a treatment strategy has not yet been established. Therefore, the Associazione Italiana di Oncologia Medica and the Società italiana di Nefrologia undertook the present work aiming at providing health professionals with a tool for easier clinical management of target therapies in this setting of patients. A web-based search of MEDLINE/PubMed library data published from 2000 to June 2018 has been performed. More than one hundred papers, including recommendations and expert opinions, were selected and discussed by the authors. A panel of experts provided additional biological and clinical information, helping in clarifying some issues in the absence of clear-cut information from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disclaimer: This article is based on recommendations from the 12th WALT Congress, Nice, October 3-6, 2018, and a follow-up review of the existing data and the clinical observations of an international multidisciplinary panel of clinicians and researchers with expertise in the area of supportive care in cancer and/or PBM clinical application and dosimetry. This article is informational in nature. As with all clinical materials, this paper should be used with a clear understanding that continued research and practice could result in new insights and recommendations. The review reflects the collective opinion and, as such, does not necessarily represent the opinion of any individual author. In no event shall the authors be liable for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the proposed protocols. Objective: This position paper reviews the potential prophylactic and therapeutic effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) on side effects of cancer therapy, including chemotherapy (CT), radiation therapy (RT), and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Background: There is a considerable body of evidence supporting the efficacy of PBM for preventing oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing RT for head and neck cancer (HNC), CT, or HSCT. This could enhance patients’ quality of life, adherence to the prescribed cancer therapy, and treatment outcomes while reducing the cost of cancer care. Methods: A literature review on PBM effectiveness and dosimetry considerations for managing certain complications of cancer therapy were conducted. A systematic review was conducted when numerous randomized controlled trials were available. Results were presented and discussed at an international consensus meeting at the World Association of photobiomoduLation Therapy (WALT) meeting in 2018 that included world expert oncologists, radiation oncologists, oral oncologists, and oral medicine professionals, physicists, engineers, and oncology researchers. The potential mechanism of action of PBM and evidence of PBM efficacy through reported outcomes for individual indications were assessed. Results: There is a large body of evidence demonstrating the efficacy of PBM for preventing OM in certain cancer patient populations, as recently outlined by the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO). Building on these, the WALT group outlines evidence and prescribed PBM treatment parameters for prophylactic and therapeutic use in supportive care for radiodermatitis, dysphagia, xerostomia, dysgeusia, trismus, mucosal and bone necrosis, lymphedema, hand-foot syndrome, alopecia, oral and dermatologic chronic graft-versushost disease, voice/speech alterations, peripheral neuropathy, and late fibrosis amongst cancer survivors. Conclusions: There is robust evidence for using PBM to prevent and treat a broad range of complications in cancer care. Specific clinical practice guidelines or evidence-based expert consensus recommendations are provided. These recommendations are aimed at improving the clinical utilization of PBM therapy in supportive cancer care and promoting research in this field. It is anticipated these guidelines will be revised periodically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, a disposable paper-based analytical device comprised of a closed bipolar electrode (BPE) was fabricated for the ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection of intracellular H 2 O 2 and the number of cancer cells. In this approach, wax printing was used to fabricated reaction zone, and carbon ink-based BPE and driving electrodes were screen-printed into the paper. AuPd nanoparticles (NPs), which served as a carrier of the capture aptamer and as the catalyst for the ECL reaction of luminol and H 2 O 2 , were used to modify the BPE. Luminol/Au NPs were attached to the surface of the captured cells via hybridation chain reaction with two hairpin structure DNA labelled luminol/Au NPs. In the stimulation of phorbol myristate acetate, The coreactant H 2 O 2 was released from the target cells. The ECL response of the luminol-H 2 O 2 system was related to the number of cancer cells in the testing buffer, which served as a quantitative signal for the determination of cancer cells and the concentration of H 2 O 2 . In order to decrease the external voltage, K 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ] was introduced in the cathode resevoir of BPE because it gained electrons at the cathode more easily than oxygen. The ECL intensity was quantitatively related to the concentration of MCF-7 in the range of 1.0 × 10 2 –1.0 × 10 7 cells/mL. The detection limit was 40 cells/mL and it showed good specificity for cells with high overexpression of mucin-1 receptor, it was concluded that the developed protocol could be effectively utilized for the detection of MCF-7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncology has come a long way in addressing patients' quality of life, together with developing surgical, radio-oncological and medical anticancer therapies. However, the multiple and varying needs of patients are still not beingmet adequately as part of routine cancer care. Supportive and palliative care interventions should be integrated, dynamic, personalised and based on best evidence. They should start at the time of diagnosis and continue through to end-of-life or survivorship. ESMO is committed to excellence in all aspects of oncological care during the continuum of the cancer experience. Following the 2003 ESMO stand on supportive and palliative care (Cherny N, Catane R, Kosmidis P. ESMO takes a stand on supportive and palliative care. Ann Oncol 2003; 14(9): 1335-1337), this position paper highlights the evolving and growing gap between the needs of cancer patients and the actual provision of care. The concept of patient-centred cancer care is presented along with key requisites and areas for further work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cachexia is a life-threatening disorder affecting an estimated 50–80% of cancer patients. The loss of skeletal muscle mass in patients with cachexia is associated with an increased risk of anticancer treatment toxicity, surgical complications and reduced response. Despite international guidelines, the identification and management of cancer cachexia remains a significant unmet need owing in part to the lack of routine screening for malnutrition and suboptimal integration of nutrition and metabolic care into clinical oncology practice. In June 2020, Sharing Progress in Cancer Care (SPCC) convened a multidisciplinary task force of medical experts and patient advocates to examine the barriers preventing the timely recognition of cancer cachexia, and provide practical recommendations to improve clinical care. This position paper summarises the key points and highlights available resources to support the integration of structured nutrition care pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and aim. Over the last few decades, there has been tremendous progress in the treatment of cancer. Unfortunately, anti-cancer therapies, although necessary and increasingly effective, still carry many side effects. One of these effects is the chemobrain -- cognitive disorders resulting from strong chemotherapy. The aim of this paper is to review available knowledge of chemobrain. Material and methods. The paper reviews articles available in the PubMed medical database, searched with the phrases "chemobrain", "chemobrain cancer" from the years 2015-2023 which are reviews, systematic reviews or meta-analyses. 41 results were obtained, of which 13 articles were used for the final analysis after the selection of papers strictly related to the issue of chemobrain. Analysis of literature. The occurrence of chemobrain is associated with impaired cognitive abilities, problems with concentration, and memory loss. It may occur only during treatment or persist even after its completion. According to the data, chemobrain occurs much more often as a complication of traditional chemotherapy than in the case of immunotherapy. The mechanism of chemobrain formation is not known. A combination of oxygen radical production and cytokine dysregulation is suspected as an inducer of this complication. Chemobrain treatment strategies remain under development. At the moment, non-pharmacological methods are used in the treatment, such as regular physical exercise, mental exercise, or a diet including omega-3 fatty acids. Pharmacological treatment is still under development and research. Conclusion. Chemobrain is a medical complication that can have a serious psychological impact on patients undergoing anti-cancer therapy, so further research is needed to better understand the mechanism of this phenomenon, which will allow the development of new treatments and possible ways to prevent the occurrence of chemobrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, The Learning Center, a consumer health library at MD Anderson Cancer Center, embarked on a project to translate paper pathfinders into online Recommended Resources in Springshare’s LibGuides platform. This project was successfully undertaken by a small staff of librarians and health education specialists with a range of technical skills and allowed online access to resources available both online and in The Learning Center. This article briefly addresses the activities and decisions leading up to the adoption of LibGuides, outlines the process of creating more than 40 online Recommended Resources, and describes the outcomes to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Our institution participated in the Oncology Care Model, which required us to include many of the 13 elements of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) care plan into care pathways for our patients. We optimized our existing chemotherapy consent process to meet this need and maximized completion. METHODS Our multidisciplinary committee developed a three-phase Plan-Do-Study-Act process in our breast cancer clinic: (1) update and educate providers on our paper chemotherapy form with multiple components of the NAM care plan including prognosis and treatment effects on quality of life; (2) piloted an electronic chemotherapy consent form to decrease the administrative burden; and (3) autopopulated fields within the electronic consent. We assessed feedback after cycle 1 and created a Pareto chart. The outcome measure was percent completion of chemotherapy consent documents. RESULTS Baseline monthly random chart audit of 40 patients revealed 20% of paper chemotherapy consent forms were completed in their entirety among patients. When we re-educated clinicians about the new paper consent containing the NAM elements, compliance rose to nearly 30%. A Pareto chart confirmed that content redundancy and wordiness were leading to under-completion. After creating and piloting the electronic consent, compliance increased to 90%. Finally, autopopulation with drop-down selections increased and sustained completion to 100%. CONCLUSION Incorporating regulatory requirements into an existing workflow using Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology can reduce administrative burden on clinicians. Additional use of innovative technology can further increase clinician compliance with regulatory requirements while delivering high-value quality care to patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malnutrition, muscle loss, and cachexia are prevalent in cancer and remain key challenges in oncology today. These conditions are frequently underrecognized and undertreated and have devastating consequences for patients. Early nutrition screening/assessment and intervention are associated with improved patient outcomes. As a multifaceted disease, cancer requires multimodal care that integrates supportive interventions, specifically nutrition and exercise, to improve nutrient intake, muscle mass, physical functioning, quality of life, and treatment outcomes. An integrated team of healthcare providers that incorporates societies' recommendations into clinical practice can help achieve the best possible outcomes. A multidisciplinary panel of experts in oncology, nutrition, exercise, and medicine participated in a 2-day virtual roundtable in October 2020 to discuss gaps and opportunities in oncology nutrition, alone and in combination with exercise, relative to current evidence and international societies' recommendations. The panel recommended five principles to optimize clinical oncology practice: (1) position oncology nutrition at the center of multidisciplinary care; (2) partner with colleagues and administrators to integrate a nutrition care process into the multidisciplinary cancer care approach; (3) screen all patients for malnutrition risk at diagnosis and regularly throughout treatment; (4) combine exercise and nutrition interventions before (e.g., prehabilitation), during, and after treatment as oncology standard of care to optimize nutrition status and muscle mass; and (5) incorporate a patient-centered approach into multidisciplinary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular (CV) toxicity associated with anti-cancer treatment is commonly encountered and raises critical problems that often result in serious morbidity or mortality. Most cardiac toxicides are related to the cumulative dose of chemotherapy; however, the type of chemotherapy, concomitant agents, and/or conventional CV risk factors have been frequently implicated in CV toxicity. Approximately half of the patients exhibiting CV toxicity receive an anthracycline-based regimen. Therefore, serologic biomarkers or cardiac imagings are important during anti-cancer treatment for early detection and the decision of appropriate management of cardiotoxicity. However, given the difficulty in determining a causal relationship, a multidisciplinary collaborative approach between cardiologists and oncologists is required. In this review, we summarize the CV toxicity and focus on the role of cardiac imaging in management strategies for cardiotoxicity associated with anti-cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress toward improvement in cancer therapy relies on clinical trials. Yet, only a minority of eligible patients with cancer enroll as a result of multiple barriers at the patient, investigator, center, and national level. However, the rise of the Internet and mobile technology has created a slew of tools with medical applications, from Web sites to apps to social media platforms, all of which may aide clinicians in our quest to improve the clinical research enterprise. SWOG is one of five members in the National Cancer Institute's National Clinical Trials Network--the nation's oldest and largest publicly funded cancer research network--and is taking a leadership role in exploring and testing the promise of digital engagement through the empaneling of the Digital Engagement Committee. This article outlines the mission, principles, and priorities of the Digital Engagement Committee and proposes how this work may inform the use of digital tools for the cancer research community and, hopefully, translate to improved outcomes for our patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of cancer cells is important and fundamental for cancer diagnosis and therapy, which has attracted considerable interest recently. Although traditional cyto-sensors have been widely explored due to their high sensitivity and selectivity, it is still a challenge to develop a low-cost, portable, disposable, fast, and easy-to-use cancer cell detection method for applying in the field of cancer diagnosis and therapy. Herein, to address these challenges, we developed a microfluidic paper-based electrochemiluminescence origami cyto-device (μ-PECLOC), in which aptamers modified 3D macroporous Au-paper electrodes were employed as the working electrodes and efficient platforms for the specific cancer cells capture. Owing to the effective disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide and specific recognition of mannose on cell surface, concanavalin-A conjugated porous AuPd alloy nanoparticles were introduced into this μ-PECLOC as the catalytically promoted nanolabels for peroxydisulfate ECL system. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed μ-PECLOC exhibited excellent analytical performance with good stability, reproducibility, and accuracy, towards the cyto-sensing of four types of cancer cells indicating the potential applications to facilitate effective and multiple early cancer diagnosis and clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]