Cancer patients benefit from early tumor detection since treatment outcomes are more favorable for less advanced cancers. Platelets are involved in cancer progression and are considered a promising... Show moreCancer patients benefit from early tumor detection since treatment outcomes are more favorable for less advanced cancers. Platelets are involved in cancer progression and are considered a promising biosource for cancer detection, as they alter their RNA content upon local and systemic cues. We show that tumor-educated platelet (TEP) RNA-based blood tests enable the detection of 18 cancer types. With 99% specificity in asymptomatic controls, thromboSeq correctly detected the presence of cancer in two-thirds of 1,096 blood samples from stage I-IV cancer patients and in half of 352 stage I-III tumors. Symptomatic controls, including inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, and benign tumors had increased false-positive test results with an average specificity of 78%. Moreover, thromboSeq determined the tumor site of origin in five different tumor types correctly in over 80% of the cancer patients. These results highlight the potential properties of TEP-derived RNA panels to supplement current approaches for blood-based cancer screening. Show less
Aims: To investigate whether the Geriatric 8 (G8) score and the Timed Get Up and Go Test (TGUGT), together with clinical and demographic patient characteristics, are associated with survival and... Show moreAims: To investigate whether the Geriatric 8 (G8) score and the Timed Get Up and Go Test (TGUGT), together with clinical and demographic patient characteristics, are associated with survival and late toxicity after (chemo)radiation therapy, administered with curative intent in older patients with cancer.Materials and methods: Four hundred and two patients aged similar to 65 years (median age 72 years, range 65-96 years), diagnosed with either breast, non-small cell lung, prostate, head and neck, rectal or oesophageal cancer, and referred for curative (chemo)radiation therapy, took part in a multicentre prospective cohort study in eight radiotherapy centres in the Netherlands. The G8 and TGUGT scores were assessed before starting treatment. Other potential predictors and late toxicity were also recorded. Survival status and date of death, if applicable, were ascertained at the Dutch national death registry.Results: After 2.5 years, the overall survival was 83%. Survival was 87% for patients with high G8 scores and 55% for patients with low G8 scores (Log-rank P value < 0.0001). Survival was 77% for patients with good TGUGT results and 50% for patients with poor TGUGT results (Log-rank P value < 0.001). In multi-variable analysis, in addition to age and type of primary tumour, the association of the G8 score with overall survival remained, with a hazard ratio of 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.2-3.8) for low versus high scores.Conclusions: G8 was associated with overall survival in older patients with cancer irradiated with curative intent. This association was independent of the predictive value of age and primary tumour. (C) 2020 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Show less
