BJMO - volume 12, issue 5, september 2018
D. Schrijvers MD, PhD, T. Debacker MD
Immunotherapy has been used in the treatment of localised, high-risk transitional cell carcinoma. Bacillus of Calmette-Guérin therapy is a standard treatment for patients with non-invasive transitional cell carcinoma with bad prognostic factors (high-grade pTa; carcinoma in situ) and early stage invasive bladder cancer (pT1) after transurethral resection of the bladder. Recently, based on phase II trials, atezolizumab, an inhibitor of PD-L1, and nivolumab, an inhibitor of PD1, have been registered for the treatment of patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma progressing after a platinum-based chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody against programmed death receptor-1 was registered based on a phase III trial in this setting resulting in a survival benefit compared to second-line chemotherapy. Predictive markers are being explored for a better patient selection for the treatment of transitional cell carcinoma.
(BELG J MED ONCOL 2018;12(5):218–222)
Read moreBJMO - volume 12, issue 2, march 2018
E. Verhelst , S. De Schepper , S. Declercq , D. Schrijvers MD, PhD
Primary leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid is a very rare tumour with an unfavourable prognosis. We present a sixty-year-old woman with a localised primary thyroid leiomyosarcoma. Despite a complete resection, a recurrence of the tumour was noticed six months later. After induction chemotherapy with ifosfamide and doxorubicin, the patient had renewed extensive surgery with removal of a tumour remnant and several lymph nodes. This was followed by radiotherapy. Eighteen months after diagnosis the patient is still alive and free of tumour on PET-CT. The case illustrates the high recurrence potential of a primary thyroid leiomyosarcoma despite a complete initial resection, but also the success of aggressive combined treatment.
(BELG J MED ONCOL 2018;12(2):75–78)
Read moreBJMO - 12, issue 3, february 2018
B. De Laere , M. Mayrhofer , T. Whitington , P-J. Van Dam , P. Van Oyen , C. Ghysel , J. Ampe , P. Ost MD, PhD, W. Demey MD, L. Hoekx MD, D. Schrijvers MD, PhD, B. Brouwers MD, PhD, W. Lybaert MD, E. Everaert , P. Van Kerckhove , D. De Maeseneer MD, M. Strijbos MD, PhD, A. Bols MD, PhD, K. Fransis , N. Beije , I. De Kruijff , S. Oeyen , A. Rutten MD, V. Van Dam , A. Brouwer , D. Goossens , L. Heyrman , G. Van Den Eynden MD, PhD, J. Vandebroek , J. Del-Favero , S. Sleijfer , A. Uhlen , J. Yachnin , S. Van Laere PhD, H. Grönberg , J. Lindberg , L. Dirix MD, PhD
BJMO - 12, issue 3, february 2018
B. Sautois MD, PhD, J.C. Goeminne MD, S. Rottey MD, PhD, D. Schrijvers MD, PhD, F. Van Aelst MD, S. Van Bruwaene MD, PhD, S. Watkins , A. Simmons , J. Go , M. Collins , T. Golsorkhi , W. Abida , C. Ryan , H. Scher , S. Chowdhury
BJMO - volume 11, issue 3, may 2017
D. Schrijvers MD, PhD, A. Van Goethem MD
In this practice guideline, the use of clinical indicators to increase the chance of completing six cycles of radium-223 in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is discussed.
(BELG J MED ONCOL 2017;11(3):107–109)
Read moreBJMO - volume 11, issue 3, may 2017
D. Schrijvers MD, PhD, T. Debacker MD
The characteristics of carcinogenesis are discussed in relation to prostate cancer. Some of these are already used as treatment targets in daily clinical practice, while in some, medications proved to be ineffective to interfere with these mechanisms of carcinogenesis.
Currently, treatments that have shown efficacy are addressing the mechanism of sustained proliferative activity, while there are some indications that immune modulation and agents interfering with DNA repair may play a role in the treatment of prostate cancer.
Other aspects of carcinogenesis need more study in patients with prostate cancer to show a benefit and they must be the scope of future research.
(BELG J MED ONCOL 2017;11(3):87–91)
Read moreBJMO - 2017, issue 3, february 2017
B. De Laere , P. Van Oyen , C. Ghysel , P. Ost MD, PhD, W. Demey MD, L. Hoekx MD, D. Schrijvers MD, PhD, B. Brouwers MD, PhD, W. Lybaert MD, E. Everaert , J. Ampe , P. Van Kerckhove , D. De Maeseneer MD, M. Strijbos MD, PhD, A. Bols MD, PhD, K. Fransis , S. Oeyen , V. Van Dam , A. Brouwer , G. Van Den Eynden MD, PhD, A. Rutten MD, J. Vandebroek , S. Van Laere PhD, L. Dirix MD, PhD