Adult ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; complications ; pathology ; Castleman Disease ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Male ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

INTRODUCTIONHigh levels of toxicities have been observed when docetaxel is administered at the standard dose of 75 mg/mevery 3 weeks (Q3W) in the real-world treatment of Asian patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of 2 attenuated regimens more widely used in an Asian setting to minimise toxicity - 60 mg/mQ3W and weekly docetaxel (20 mg/mto 35 mg/m).

MATERIALS AND METHODSMedical records of 89 CRPC patients between December 2003 and April 2013 were reviewed. Pairwise statistical analysis was performed, comparing efficacy and safety outcomes of 75 mg/mQ3W and weekly docetaxel with 60 mg/mQ3W. Treatment endpoints used were prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response (decrease of ≥50% from baseline), pain improvement after cycle 2, overall survival, time to disease progression and radiological response.

RESULTSPatients who received docetaxel at 75 mg/mQ3W were younger than those who received 60 mg/mQ3W (62 years and 66 years, respectively;= 0.0489). Both groups had similar response rates. Compared with patients on 60 mg/mQ3W, more patients on weekly regimens were symptomatic at baseline (63.2% and 87.5%, respectively;= 0.0173). Longer overall survival was observed in the 60 mg/mQ3W arm than the weekly docetaxel arm (16.9 months and 10.6 months, respectively;= 0.0131), though other measures of response did not differ significantly.

CONCLUSIONOur data supports the use of 60 mg/mQ3W docetaxel which has similar efficacy and an acceptable toxicity profile compared to the standard 75 mg/mQ3W regimen. Weekly docetaxel has significant palliative benefits among symptomatic patients despite lower overall survival.

INTRODUCTIONWe reviewed changes in clinical characteristics, treatment and survival of lung cancer patients in Singapore over the past decade.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe reviewed all primary lung cancer cases from January 2004 to December 2013. Basic demographic, clinical and treatment data were extracted from the database. Overall survival (OS) was calculated using Kaplan-Meier method; survival curves were compared using log-rank test. Linear regression trend lines were estimated using least squares approach, and Cox regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors.

RESULTSAmong 6006 lung cancer patients, the median age was 68 years old, 65% were males, 88% were Chinese, 92% had non-small-cell lung cancer and 76% had advanced stage IIIB/IV. There were proportionally more adenocarcinomas diagnosed over the years, while that of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and small-cell-lung cancer (SCLC) have remained stable. The median OS of all patients increased from 9.2 months in 2004 to 11.5 months in 2013. This survival improvement was statistically significant among patients with stage IIIB/IV (6.7 to 8.7 months;= 0.005) and adenocarcinoma (12.7 to 15.4 months;= 0.041). There was no improvement in median OS for SCC or SCLC. The use of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKI) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.68; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.73) and pemetrexed (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.76) were significantly associated with improved OS.

CONCLUSIONSurvival of patients with advanced stage IIIB/IV lung adenocarcinoma has improved over the past decade, and is potentially associated with the use of EGFR TKI and pemetrexed.

INTRODUCTIONThe survival and epidemiology of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) in Singapore has not been described. We aim to present the characteristics as well as determine the survival outcome and important prognostic factors for SCLC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective analysis of SCLC patients diagnosed from 1999 to 2002 was conducted at the Outram campus, Singapore. Clinical characteristics and treatment data were obtained from case records and survival data were checked with the registry of births and deaths on 30 May 2005.

RESULTSOne hundred and eleven patients were analysed. There were 38 (34.2%) limited-disease (LD) patients and 73 (65.8%) extensive-disease (ED) patients. The majority were current or former smokers (94.7% among LD and 94.5% among ED). More patients with LD had good performance status (92% versus 63%, P = 0.0003) and were treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy (82% versus 48%, P = 0.012). The median survival time of LD patients treated with curative chemoradiotherapy was 14.2 months (95% CI, 10.96 to 17.44). Those given prophylactic cranial irradiation had a median survival time of 16.9 months (95% CI, 11.83 to 21.97). For ED patients, the median survival time was 8.17 months (95%CI, 5.44 to 10.89). None of the factors analysed were significant prognostic factors for LD patients while performance status and type of treatment given were significant among ED patients.

CONCLUSIONSWe found that the characteristics and survival of SCLC patients in Singapore are fairly similar to that of other countries.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; mortality ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONGenetic predisposition to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has been linked to disorders such as von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. While twin research is a classic approach for elucidating genetic and environmental contributions to disease, no monozygotic twin-pair concordant for ccRCC in the absence of VHL syndrome has been previously reported in the literature or in major twin registries.

CLINICAL PICTUREWe describe a unique monozygotic twin-pair concordant for ccRCC, with discordant but early ages of onset of 25 and 38 respectively. Cytogenetic studies and direct sequencing for VHL gene mutations in the second twin proved unremarkable.

CONCLUSIONSThis is the fi rst reported case of monozygotic twins concordant for ccRCC in the absence of VHL gene mutation. The early yet discordant, age of onset of disease in both twins suggests both genetic and environmental contributions to ccRCC.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; Diseases in Twins ; genetics ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Twins, Monozygotic ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease ; genetics

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has updated the Clinical Practice Guidelines on Lipids to provide doctors and patients in Singapore with evidence-based treatment for lipids. This article reproduces the introduction and executive summary (with recommendations from the guidelines) from the MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Lipids, for the information of SMJ readers. Chapters and page numbers mentioned in the reproduced extract refer to the full text of the guidelines, which are available from the Ministry of Health website: http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/healthprofessionalsportal/doctors/guidelines/cpg_medical.html.
Adult ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; complications ; therapy ; Child ; Coronary Artery Disease ; complications ; therapy ; Decision Support Systems, Clinical ; Dyslipidemias ; blood ; complications ; therapy ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; complications ; therapy ; Life Style ; Lipids ; blood ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Singapore

INTRODUCTIONThis study analysed the tumour attenuation characteristics of different subtypes of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), including clear cell RCC (ccRCC), papillary RCC (pRCC), mixed RCC, chromophobe RCC (chRCC) and oncocytoma.

METHODSWe randomly selected 100 RCC cases that underwent nephrectomy between 2004 and 2012 from a collaborative database. Of these cases, 36 were excluded due to the absence of available imaging. The remaining 64 cases comprised 35 ccRCCs, 11 pRCCs, eight chRCCs, seven mixed RCCs and three oncocytomas. The cases were classified as computed tomography (CT) kidney, CT urogram (with plain, nephrographic and pyelographic phases) or CT abdomen (with portovenous and delayed phases). A circular region of interest (ROI) ≥ 1 cmwas drawn and the same standard ROI size was used for each phase at the same site; three different circular ROIs were drawn per lesion per phase. Analysis of variance and t-test were used to examine differences in the radiological characteristics.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in the attenuation and degree of enhancement between mixed RCCs and ccRCCs. The attenuation and degree of enhancement of the oncocytomas were significantly higher than those of the other RCC subtypes.

CONCLUSIONWhile mixed RCCs did not have attenuation characteristics that differed significantly from those of ccRCCs, oncocytomas can be distinguished from ccRCCs, pRCCs, chRCCs and mixed RCCs by their high radiological density and enhancement. The ability to differentiate oncocytomas from these tumours potentially allows the preoperative selection of patients with small renal masses for conservative management.