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Background Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is commonly diagnosed using non-invasive radiological criteria (NIRC) defined by the European Association for the Study of the Liver or the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. In 2017, The National Institute for Clinical Excellence mandated histological confirmation of disease to authorise the use of sorafenib in the UK. Methods This was a prospective multicentre audit in which patients suitable for sorafenib were identified at multidisciplinary meetings. The primary analysis cohort (PAC) was defined by the presence of Child-Pugh class A liver disease and performance status 0–2. Clinical, radiological and histological data were reported locally and collected on a standardised case report form. Results Eleven centres reported 418 cases, of which 361 comprised the PAC. Overall, 76% had chronic liver disease and 66% were cirrhotic. The diagnostic imaging was computed tomography in 71%, magnetic resonance imaging in 27% and 2% had both. Pre-existing histology was available in 45 patients and 270 underwent a new biopsy, which confirmed HCC in 93.4%. Alternative histological diagnoses included cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and combined HCC-CC. In cirrhotic patients, NIRC criteria had a sensitivity of 65.4% and a positive predictive value of 91.4% to detect HCC. Two patients (0.7%) experienced mild post-biopsy bleeding. Conclusion The diagnostic biopsy is safe and feasible for most patients eligible for systemic therapy

Background The need for low toxicity adjuncts to standard care chemotherapy in inoperable colorectal cancer, with potential to improve outcomes and decrease the side-effect burden, is well recognised. Addition of the low toxicity diet-derived agent, curcumin (the active ingredient of turmeric), to standard oxaliplatin-based therapy has shown promise in numerous pre-clinical studies. Methods/Design This study is the first to combine daily oral curcumin with standard care FOLFOX-based (5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients with inoperable liver metastases: the CUFOX trial. CUFOX comprises a Phase 1 dose-escalation study (3 + 3 + 3 design) to determine an acceptable target dose of curcumin with which to safely proceed to a Phase IIa open-labelled randomised controlled trial. Thirty three participants with histological or cytological confirmation of inoperable colorectal cancer will then be randomised to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy with the addition of daily oral curcumin at the target dose determined in Phase I, or to standard care oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy alone (recruiting at a ratio of 2:1). Discussion Primary outcome measures will be the determination of a target dose which is both safe and tolerable for long-term administration to individuals in receipt of first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for inoperable colorectal cancer. Secondary outcome measures will include observation of any changes in neuropathic side-effects of chemotherapy, improvement to progression-free or overall survival and identification of putative efficacy biomarkers in plasma. The results will be disseminated via presentation at national and international conferences, via publication in appropriate peer-reviewed journals and via the Cancer Research UK/Department of Health Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network. This trial has full ethical and institutional approval, and commenced recruitment in February 2012. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01490996 , registered 7 th December 2011), European Drug Regulating Authorities (EudraCT 2011-002289-19, registered 13 th May 2011), UKCRN ID#10672.

Since the first case of COVID-19 and its progression to a pandemic, healthcare systems the world over have experienced severe difficulties coping with patient care for both COVID-19 and other diseases most especially non communicable diseases like cancer. These difficulties in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria, are myriad. These LMICs are already bedeviled weak health systems, ill equipped cancer treatment centers, with outdated machines and grossly inadequate numbers of oncologists required to treat patients with cancer. As a result of these challenges coupled with unclear guidelines on how to manage cancer patients in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, 11 key Nigerian opinion leaders had a consensus meeting to identify challenges and possible workable solutions on continuing cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion highlighted ethical issues, barriers to continuing cancer care (such as lockdown, fear of contracting disease, downscaled health services) and resource constraints such unavailable personal protective equipment. Yet, practical solutions were proffered such as necessary protective measures, case by case prioritization or de-prioritization, telemedicine and other achievable means in the Nigerian setting.

Resistance to oxaliplatin (OXA) is a complex process affecting the outcomes of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with this drug. De-regulation of the NF-κB signalling pathway has been proposed as an important mechanism involved in this phenomenon. Here, we show that NF-κB was hyperactivated in in vitro models of OXA-acquired resistance but was attenuated by the addition of Curcumin, a non-toxic NF-κB inhibitor. The concomitant combination of Curcumin + OXA was more effective and synergistic in cell lines with acquired resistance to OXA, leading to the reversion of their resistant phenotype, through the inhibition of the NF-κB signalling cascade. Transcriptomic profiling revealed the up-regulation of three NF-κB-regulated CXC-chemokines, CXCL8, CXCL1 and CXCL2, in the resistant cells that were more efficiently down-regulated after OXA + Curcumin treatment as compared to the sensitive cells. Moreover, CXCL8 and CXCL1 gene silencing made resistant cells more sensitive to OXA through the inhibition of the Akt/NF-κB pathway. High expression of CXCL1 in FFPE samples from explant cultures of CRC patients-derived liver metastases was associated with response to OXA + Curcumin. In conclusion, we suggest that combination of OXA + Curcumin could be an effective treatment, for which CXCL1 could be used as a predictive marker, in CRC patients.

Cancer imposes significant financial burden on patients in low and middle-income countries like Nigeria, where breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and has the highest mortality. This study aims to investigate the financial burden of BC care at Lakeshore Cancer Center (LCC) in Nigeria and identify risk factors for financial catastrophe (FC). LCC was queried for uninsured patients diagnosed with breast cancers between 2013 and 2023, linked to cost data through chart abstraction of billing data and adjusted to 2023 USD. All costs were out-of-pocket costs (OOP) as all patients were uninsured. Risk for financial catastrophe was defined as OOP exceeding 20 ​% of Nigeria's 2023 per capita GDP ($467). Total OOP and risk for financial catastrophe were measured with descriptive statistics and stratified by clinical characteristics. 352 BC patients (99 ​% female, median age 47, 41 ​% stage 4, 28 ​% stage 3) were included. 260 (74 ​%) patients risked financial catastrophe, despite only 30 ​% completing treatment. Patients with HER2+/HR ​+ ​disease exhibited the highest treatment costs. Among patients that underwent multiple treatment modalities (n ​= ​130), the average OOP was $17992 with 100 ​% risking financial catastrophe. The highest contributors to the cohort's total costs were chemotherapy (29 ​%), immunotherapy (18 ​%), and other drugs (12 ​%). Surgery contributed 7 ​%. Less than one-third of BC patients completed treatment, and the majority faced financial catastrophe, especially those with HER2+/HR ​+ ​disease and patients who underwent multiple treatment modalities or immunotherapy. Targeted efforts are essential to ensure equitable access to quality cancer care while minimizing risk of financial catastrophe. •The majority of BC patients at a private cancer center in Nigeria were at risk for financial catastrophe, even if they did not complete treatment.•Patients with HER2+ cancer, those who underwent multiple treatment modalities and those who utilized immunotherapy were at highest risk for FC.•Those privately insured were at lower risk for financial catastrophe, although they only represent 2.3 ​% of the cohort.•The majority of patients presented with stage 3 and 4 disease (69 ​%) and only 30% completed treatment.

Nearly a billion people worldwide risk Financial Catastrophe (FC) due to Out-of-Pocket (OOP) health expenditures. With Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) disproportionately impacted, and the global burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) expected to increase 60 ​% by 2030, Nigeria is of interest. This study aims to evaluate the cost of treating CRC at Nigeria's first private cancer center. The center's cancer registry was queried for CRC diagnosed between 2013 and 2023. Two research assistants in Lagos abstracted treatment costs (adjusted to 2023 USD), demographics and clinical characteristics. FC was defined as OOP >20 ​% of Nigeria's 2023 per-capita GDP ($467). 92 patients (colon (n ​= ​70), rectum (n ​= ​22), 66 ​% stage 4) were included. Average chemotherapy cost $7,678, procedure cost $1157. Average total cost for multi-therapy, $34,983. All treated patients risked FC. The greatest cost-contributors were chemotherapy (30 ​%) and other drugs (21 ​%). Procedures cost 3 ​%. CRC treatment increases the risk of FC for nearly all patients. Risk-protection through insurance or financial navigation may be of benefit, and future studies should investigate the impact of these interventions on FC risk. •Colorectal cancer care puts most Nigerian patients at risk for financial catastrophe.•High cost may preclude patients from receiving necessary cancer care.•Measures that mitigate the risk of financial catastrophe in Nigerian CRC patients require further investigation.

Background As with most Sub-Saharan African countries, Nigeria has a rising incidence of cancer, with disproportionate mortality rates. The financial burden of cancer care often results in catastrophic healthcare spending, leading to treatment refusal, disruption, and discontinuation. This is particularly significant in Nigeria, where nearly all patients are uninsured, and out-of-pocket costs often exceed households’ ability to pay. Financial navigation programs (FNPs) have been shown to mitigate treatment-related financial toxicity in cancer care and reduce treatment abandonment, but there is a paucity of high-quality data on this intervention in resource-constrained settings. Here, we present a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a novel FNP in Nigeria. Methods We designed the COST-FIN trial, a multi-site pragmatic single-blinded randomized controlled trial of newly diagnosed (<6 weeks from diagnosis) adults (≥18 years) with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer at two tertiary cancer centers in Nigeria. Participants ( n  = 200) will be randomized (1:1) to either the intervention (FNP) or the control arm and followed for 12 months. Data on key individual, treatment, and financial parameters will be collected via structured interviews and chart abstraction at baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. In addition, participants randomized to the FNP will receive a tailored financial literacy assessment, financial planning support, and enhanced access to resources by trained financial navigators. Primary and secondary outcomes are financial catastrophe (FC) and financial distress (FD), respectively. Exploratory outcomes will include cost-related non-adherence and cost-effectiveness of the program. An interim analysis will be conducted when 50% of the estimated accruals reach 6 months of follow-up, with crossover if compelling evidence of benefit is demonstrated at that time point. All participants will be followed for 12 months from recruitment. Discussion This first-of-its-kind study will provide evidence on the role of FNP in potentially eliminating financial barriers to cancer care in Nigeria. Given the country’s renewed interest in cancer control through the passage of the National Cancer Control Plan, findings from this study have the potential to influence policy reform and set the stage for further studies to evaluate the scalability and implementation of similar interventions in resource-limited settings. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06630962 . Registered on Oct 8, 2024.

Introduction There is a clinical need to develop novel and better biomarkers to monitor patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). Circulating cell free tumor derived DNA (ctDNA), a form of liquid biopsy, is finding clinical utility in an ever increasing number of malignancies however has not been widely tested in patients with NENs. Aims Our aim was to identify and track plasma ctDNA in a cohort of patients with NENs using a personalized, patient specific approach. Materials and methods A total of 35 serial plasma samples were collected from 9 patients with metastatic, well differentiated NENs (6 small intestinal and 1 lung, 1 ovarian and 1 pelvic; range 2-5 plasma samples per patient) over the space of 2-25 months. For each patient, NEN specific somatic mutations (single nucleotide variants and insertions/deletions) were identified through whole exome sequencing of paired tumor-leucocyte DNA and were used to design a bespoke multi-variant Ampliseq™ HD ctDNA panel (5-20 variants per patient) for targeted next generation sequencing. Imaging and treatment were provided as per usual clinical care. Results ctDNA was detectable in 6/9 patients and in 19/35 plasma samples. A rise in the number of ctDNA target variants and/or variant allele frequency was seen in 4/6 patients who experienced disease progression. Two of these patients received peptide receptor radionuclide therapy after which ctDNA disappeared in one patient and substantially reduced in the other, which correlated with treatment response. The 3 patients who did not have detectable ctDNA at any time point all had grade 1 small intestinal NENs with stable disease during the observation period. Discussion Our data provide exciting evidence for the feasibility of using ctDNA as a biomarker in NENs. By targeting multiple individualized variants using next generation sequencing, we have demonstrated that ctDNA can track changes in disease burden and can monitor response to treatment in patients. Of equal importance, ctDNA was not detectable in patients with quiescent disease. This could help identify patients who do not need intensive monitoring. Targeting bespoke, multiple variants per patient is a novel and powerful approach for NENs, especially given their heterogenous genetic landscape. This study provides important early evidence that ctDNA may be a clinically useful biomarker for detection and surveillance of NENs. Presentation: Sunday, June 12, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., Sunday, June 12, 2022 1:06 p.m. - 1:11 p.m.

Information comparing attitudes towards taking cancer chemopreventive agents and assessing drug characteristics that would make chemopreventive agents more acceptable to participants is essential for future trial design and to ultimately promote compliance. We therefore undertook a cross-sectional questionnaire study, the aim of which was to assess current attitudes towards chemopreventive agents and to determine which characteristics make chemopreventive agents more acceptable to potential target populations. Questionnaires were distributed to four groups of participants: university students, cancer patients, partners/spouses of patients with cancer and individuals at a high familial risk for cancer. The survey’s overall response rate was 35.5% (350 participants). The majority of participants (92.9%) considered taking cancer chemopreventive agents. Factors that positively influenced participants towards chemoprevention were a family history of cancer and having children. Diet-derived chemopreventive agents were preferred by 74.6%, who associated these agents with being ‘healthier’ and having a better side-effect profile. Most participants preferred either two medium-sized capsules or four small capsules daily. Overall, participants were keen to consider chemoprevention, particularly in cases in which cancer risk was high, and preferred diet-derived agents, believing them to have minimal side-effects.