Volume 10 Issue 9, September 2013

Superficial basal cell carcinomas are a common challenge in clinical dermatology because they are frequent and surgical approaches tend to scar. A large randomized trial comparing three nonsurgical approaches has shown that all had similar clinical outcomes—so, you pay your money and take your choice.

The standard treatment for patients with advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer with a performance status of 2 is unclear because of the heterogeneity of this population. Although a recent trial suggests that carboplatin plus pemetrexed improves survival as compared to single-agent pemetrexed, we should be cautious when defining new standards of treatment on the basis of single small trials.

Rearrangements of the ALK gene have been associated with sensitivity to crizotinib and other kinase inhibitors with activity against ALK. The phase III PROFILE 1007 randomized study of crizotinib versus chemotherapy has demonstrated that crizotinib is superior to standard second-line chemotherapy in ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

Luminal breast cancer is the most-frequently occurring subtype of breast cancer, but it is a highly heterogeneous disease. Data are emerging to assist in the stratification of patients to the optimal treatment and to address therapy resistance. This Review outlines the biology of this disease, and discusses the treatment options and ongoing studies for women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Optical imaging that exploits invisible near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent light (700–900 nm) has the potential to improve cancer surgery outcomes, minimize anaesthesia time and lower health-care costs via its improved contrast and depth of tissue penetration relative to visible light. This Review introduces the concept of NIR fluorescence imaging and examines imaging system and contrast agent optimization.

Evidence links obesity to increased cancer incidence, and possibly also to poorer cancer survival. Obese patients face a range of specific challenges related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This Review summarizes the available literature addressing the clinical management of obese patients with cancer and discusses opportunities to improve the cancer care of these patients.

Small bowel adenocarcinomas are rare, histologically diverse tumours and their incidence worldwide is increasing. Despite this, research efforts have received comparatively little attention compared with other cancers with a similar incidence. The authors present an evidence-based approach to present-day management of small bowel adenocarcinoma, describe contemporary challenges and uncover evolving paradigms in the management of these rare neoplasias.