Testicular cancer survivorship: Research strategies and recommendations - Abstract

[Paul54]

Sounds like an interesting paper with contributions by many of the experts such as Drs. Einhorn, Nichols and Fossa and most centers of excellence. I'm going to try to get the full paper.

Testicular cancer survivorship: Research strategies and recommendations - Abstract


Friday, 23 July 2010
Department of Radiation Oncology and Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Department of Medical Oncology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty Division, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Medical Oncology and Department of Pediatrics and Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Department of Oncology, The Finsen Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Department of Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA; Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN; Department of Oncology Education/Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Hospital/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Center, Portland, OR; Department of Medical Oncology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN.

Testicular cancer represents the most curable solid tumor, with a 10-year survival rate of more than 95%. Given the young average age at diagnosis, it is estimated that effective treatment approaches, in particular, platinum-based chemotherapy, have resulted in an average gain of several decades of life. This success, however, is offset by the emergence of considerable long-term morbidity, including second malignant neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, pulmonary toxicity, hypogonadism, decreased fertility, and psychosocial problems. Data on underlying genetic or molecular factors that might identify those patients at highest risk for late sequelae are sparse. Genome-wide association studies and other translational molecular approaches now provide opportunities to identify testicular cancer survivors at greatest risk for therapy-related complications to develop evidence-based long-term follow-up guidelines and interventional strategies. We review research priorities identified during an international workshop devoted to testicular cancer survivors. Recommendations include 1) institution of lifelong follow-up of testicular cancer survivors within a large cohort setting to ascertain risks of emerging toxicities and the evolution of known late sequelae, 2) development of comprehensive risk prediction models that include treatment factors and genetic modifiers of late sequelae, 3) elucidation of the effect(s) of decades-long exposure to low serum levels of platinum, 4) assessment of the overall burden of medical and psychosocial morbidity, and 5) the eventual formulation of evidence-based long-term follow-up guidelines and interventions. Just as testicular cancer once served as the paradigm of a curable malignancy, comprehensive follow-up studies of testicular cancer survivors can pioneer new methodologies in survivorship research for all adult-onset cancer.

Written by:
Travis LB, Beard C, Allan JM, Dahl AA, Feldman DR, Oldenburg J, Daugaard G, Kelly JL, Dolan ME, Hannigan R, Constine LS, Oeffinger KC, Okunieff P, Armstrong G, Wiljer D, Miller RC, Gietema JA, van Leeuwen FE, Williams JP, Nichols CR, Einhorn LH, Fossa SD.

Reference: J Natl Cancer Inst. 2010 Jun 28. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1093/jnci/djq216

PubMed Abstract
PMID: 20585105

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