Targeting Incurable Cancers

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 5635

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
Interests: palliative care; quality of life; pain; cachexia; supportive care; survivorship; oncology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This upcoming Special Issue is titled “Targeting Incurable Cancers”. Patients with incurable cancer experience great distress. Cachexia is a multi-factorial syndrome, which could be one of the causes of the distress, including anorexia, fatigue, exhaustion, and weakness.

Although this syndrome is often seen in patients with incurable cancer, its pathophysiology is not fully understood and the treatment is not established. Anamorelin was an expected treatment drug, but it is not approved by the FDA and EMA. A multidisciplinary team approach, which encompasses nutrition and exercise, seems to be important.

In this Special Issue, we would like to invite papers targeting cachexia from many aspects, from basic science to clinical practice

Dr. Hiroto Ishiki
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cachexia
  • weight loss
  • nutritional support
  • quality of life
  • rehabilitation
  • inflammation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1729 KiB  
Article
Cachexia and Sarcopenia in Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Making a Potential Curable Disease Incurable?
by Valentina Bartolomeo, Mandy Jongbloed, Wouter R. P. H. van de Worp, Ramon Langen, Juliette Degens, Lizza E. L. Hendriks and Dirk K. M. de Ruysscher
Cancers 2024, 16(1), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16010230 - 4 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Among patients with advanced NSCLC, there is a group of patients with synchronous oligometastatic disease (sOMD), defined as a limited number of metastases detected at the time of diagnosis. As cachexia and sarcopenia are linked to poor survival, incorporating this information could assist [...] Read more.
Among patients with advanced NSCLC, there is a group of patients with synchronous oligometastatic disease (sOMD), defined as a limited number of metastases detected at the time of diagnosis. As cachexia and sarcopenia are linked to poor survival, incorporating this information could assist clinicians in determining whether a radical treatment should be administered. In a retrospective multicenter study, including all patients with adequately staged (FDG-PET, brain imaging) sOMD according to the EORTC definition, we aimed to assess the relationship between cachexia and/or sarcopenia and survival. Of the 439 patients that were identified between 2015 and 2021, 234 met the criteria for inclusion and were included. The median age of the cohort was 67, 52.6% were male, and the median number of metastasis was 1. Forty-six (19.7%) patients had cachexia, thirty-four (14.5%) had sarcopenia and twenty-one (9.0%) had both. With a median follow-up of 49.7 months, median PFS and OS were 8.6 and 17.3 months, respectively. Moreover, a trend toward longer PFS was found in patients without cachexia and sarcopenia compared to those with cachexia and/or sarcopenia. In multivariate analysis, cachexia and sarcopenia were not associated with an inferior survival, irrespective of receiving radical treatment. High CRP was associated with inferior survival and could be a prognostic factor, helping the decision of clinicians in selecting patients who may benefit from the addition of LRT. However, despite the homogeneous definition of oligometastatic disease and the adequate staging, our subgroups were small. Therefore, further studies are needed to better understand our hypothesis and generating findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeting Incurable Cancers)
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Review

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19 pages, 766 KiB  
Review
Harnessing the Systemic Biology of Functional Decline and Cachexia to Inform more Holistic Therapies for Incurable Cancers
by Amber Willbanks, Mina Seals, Reem Karmali and Ishan Roy
Cancers 2024, 16(2), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16020360 - 14 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Options for treatment of incurable cancer remain scarce and are largely focused on limited therapeutic mechanisms. A new approach specific to advanced cancers is needed to identify new and effective treatments. Morbidity in advanced cancer is driven by functional decline and a number [...] Read more.
Options for treatment of incurable cancer remain scarce and are largely focused on limited therapeutic mechanisms. A new approach specific to advanced cancers is needed to identify new and effective treatments. Morbidity in advanced cancer is driven by functional decline and a number of systemic conditions, including cachexia and fatigue. This review will focus on these clinical concepts, describe our current understanding of their underlying biology, and then propose how future therapeutic strategies, including pharmaceuticals, exercise, and rehabilitation, could target these mechanisms as an alternative route to addressing incurable cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeting Incurable Cancers)
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Other

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15 pages, 1303 KiB  
Systematic Review
Effects of Exercise Training on Patient-Specific Outcomes in Pancreatic Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review
by Kim Rosebrock, Marianne Sinn, Faik G. Uzunoglu, Carsten Bokemeyer, Wiebke Jensen and Jannike Salchow
Cancers 2023, 15(24), 5899; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15245899 - 18 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1599
Abstract
Background: International guidelines have already highlighted the beneficial effects of exercise in common cancer entities. However, specific recommendations for pancreatic cancer are still missing. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the impact of exercise training on patient-specific outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: International guidelines have already highlighted the beneficial effects of exercise in common cancer entities. However, specific recommendations for pancreatic cancer are still missing. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the impact of exercise training on patient-specific outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: A literature search was undertaken using PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before August 2023 with structured exercise interventions during or after pancreatic cancer treatment. Results: Seven articles that prescribed home-based or supervised exercise with aerobic or resistance training or both were reviewed. The results indicate that exercise is feasible and safe in pancreatic cancer patients. Furthermore, exercise was associated with improved quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, and muscle strength. Concerning other outcomes, heterogeneous results were reported. We identified a lack of evidence, particularly for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Conclusion: Exercise interventions in pancreatic cancer patients are feasible and can lead to improved quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, and muscle strength. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the potential of exercise in pancreatic cancer, in particular for advanced stages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Targeting Incurable Cancers)
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