Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology

There is substantial clinical variation in the use of neoadjuvant radiotherapy for high-risk rectal cancer, ranging from 25% to 59% in New South Wales, Australia. Assessed against an empirically based analytic framework, the reasons for this clinical variation were largely unwarranted and related to MDT processes, imaging quality, workforce/practice patterns, surgeon treatment preferences, and data quality.

This study explores the current status, utilization, and barriers to circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) testing in thoracic oncology across Australia and New Zealand. While clinicians recognize the potential of ctDNA for guiding targeted therapy and monitoring disease, real-world access remains inconsistent due to funding, availability, and infrastructure gaps.

This translational quality improvement study evaluated a statewide pathway for mainstream genetic testing in South Australia. Adoption of mainstream BRCA1/2 testing increased significantly, but not MMR testing. Findings highlight the need for tailored, context-specific strategies to integrate genetic testing into routine care across diverse cancer types and clinical environments.

This paper summarizes the efforts of the Victorian Teletrials Collaborative to overcome barriers to using telehealth to conduct clinical trials. The collaborative has produced tools and suggestions for health services and clinicians for the implementation of teletrials to enable improved access to clinical trials for disadvantaged populations.

We longitudinally assessed long-term adverse events (AEs) in patients with advanced differentiated thyroid cancer who received lenvatinib. Notable intolerable grade 2 and grade 3 AEs were developed in the following order: hypertension, diarrhea, hand-foot skin reaction, platelet decrease, proteinuria, anorexia, and chronic kidney disease. After 2 years of administration, the decrease in renal function became remarkable. Green, VEGF-associated AEs; orange, other AEs.

A multicenter retrospective study in Malaysia evaluated the effectiveness of Pola-BR for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Among 23 patients, the overall response rate was 56.5%, with 34.8% achieving a complete response. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 51.6%, 51.6%, and 44.2%, respectively, with a median OS of 27 months. Bulky disease was a significant hazard for progression, and 66.7% of adverse events were grade ≥ 3, predominantly hematological.

We retrospectively analyzed 138 patients with laryngeal cancer who received radiotherapy. Synchronous second primary cancer was a significant prognostic factor of poor outcomes (hazard ratio [HR], 4.42) on time-independent multivariate analysis, and metachronous second primary cancer was a significant prognostic factor of poor outcomes (HR, 4.55) in the time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model. Reliable initial examinations and close follow-up are important.

Association of inflammation-based prognostic factors with survival in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Are two drugs better than one in advanced NSCLC?