Robert Altman : erste bibliographische Notizen

Die folgende Arbeitsbibliographie entstand im Kontext eines Seminars zu den Filmen Altmans. Sie versteht sich als eine erste Durchsicht des Materials und soll fortgeschrieben werden. Die Oscar-Verleihung im März 2006 wird auch das akademische Interesse an Altmans Filmen beleben - insbesondere für diesen Kontext versteht sich die folgende Sammlung. Wir bitten, uns Ergänzungen und Korrekturen, Abstracts und Hinweise auf Mehrfachabdrucke zuzusenden, wir werden sie in die Bibliographie einfügen und sie gelegentlich in erweiterter Fassung online zugänglich machen

Exploring the Patient Perspective of Bone Sarcoma Survivors Who Have Undergone Particle Radiotherapy Abroad

Background/Aim: Sarcoma patients’ experiences of their health-related quality of life and late effects following particle therapy are sparse. Such knowledge is essential to optimize treatment compliance and follow-up care related to this rapidly developing, but still centralized treatment modality. Patients and Methods: This qualitative study has an explorative design and applies a phenomenological and hermeneutical approach based on semi-structured interviews with 12 bone sarcoma patients who had undergone particle therapy abroad. The data were interpreted using thematic analysis. Results: Several of the participants called for more information about how the treatment would be carried out, its acute side effects and late complications. Most participants had positive experiences from the treatment and their stay abroad, but several struggled with late effects and other challenges. Themes that emerged from the analysis were “importance of being prepared”, “treatment and stay abroad”, “basically healthy, but with health problems and challenges”. Conclusion: Oncologists who inform and refer patients to particle therapy abroad must have sufficient experience of this treatment modality, prognoses, acute side effects, and late complications. Findings derived from this study may improve treatment preparation and compliance, enhance understanding of individual patient challenges to reduce stress and worry, and lead to better follow-up care and consequently quality of life of this selected group of bone sarcoma patients.publishedVersio

The Scandinavian Sarcoma Group Central Register : 6,000 patients after 25 years of monitoring of referral and treatment of extremity and trunk wall soft-tissue sarcoma

Purpose - We wanted to examine the potential of the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group (SSG) Central Register, and evaluate referral and treatment practice for soft-tissue sarcomas in the extremities and trunk wall (STS) in the Nordic countries. Background - Based on incidence rates from the literature, 8,150 (7,000-9,300) cases of STS of the extremity and trunk wall should have been diagnosed in Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden from 1987 through 2011. The SSG Register has 6,027 cases registered from this period, with 5,837 having complete registration of key variables. 10 centers have been reporting to the Register. The 5 centers that consistently report treat approximately 90% of the cases in their respective regions. The remaining centers have reported all the patients who were treated during certain time periods, but not for the entire 25-year period. Results - 59% of patients were referred to a sarcoma center untouched, i.e. before any attempt at open biopsy. There was an improvement from 52% during the first 5 years to 70% during the last 5 years. 50% had wide or better margins at surgery. Wide margins are now achieved less often than 20 years ago, in parallel with an increase in the use of radiotherapy. For the centers that consistently report, 97% of surviving patients are followed for more than 4 years. Metastasis-free survival (MFS) increased from 67% to 73% during the 25-year period. Interpretation - The Register is considered to be representative of extremity and trunk wall sarcoma disease in the population of Scandinavia, treated at the reporting centers. There were no clinically significant differences in treatment results at these centers.Peer reviewe

Patterns of local recurrence and dose fractionation of adjuvant radiation therapy in 462 patients with soft tissue sarcoma of extremity and trunk wall

Purpose To study the impact of dose fractionation of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) on local recurrence (LR) and the relation of LR to radiation fields. Methods and Materials LR rates were analyzed in 462 adult patients with soft tissue sarcoma who underwent surgical excision and adjuvant RT at five Scandinavian sarcoma centers from 1998 to 2009. Medical records were reviewed for dose fractionation parameters and to determine the location of the LR relative to the radiation portals. Results Fifty-five of 462 patients developed a LR (11.9%). Negative prognostic factors included intralesional surgical margin (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.08-20.0), high malignancy grade (HR: 5.82, 95% CI: 1.31-25.8), age at diagnosis (HR per 10 years: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.03-1.56), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor histological subtype (HR: 6.66, 95% CI: 2.56-17.3). RT dose was tailored to margin status. No correlation between RT dose and LR rate was found in multiple Cox regression analysis. The majority (65%) of LRs occurred within the primary RT volume. Conclusions No significant dose–response effect of adjuvant RT was demonstrated. Interestingly, patients given 45-Gy accelerated RT (1.8 Gy twice daily/2.5 weeks) had the best local outcome. A total dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions seemed adequate following wide margin surgery. The risk of LR was associated with histopathologic subtype, which should be included in the treatment algorithm of adjuvant RT in soft tissue sarcoma.publishedVersio

Outcome of rare primary malignant bone sarcoma treated with multimodal therapy: Results from the EUROpean Bone Over 40 Sarcoma Study (EURO-B.O.S.S.)

Background: Rare primary malignant bone sarcomas (RPMBS) account for 5%-10% of primary high-grade bone tumors and represent a major treatment challenge. The outcome of patients with RPMBS enrolled in the EUROpean Bone Over 40 Sarcoma Study (EURO-B.O.S.S) is presented. Methods: Inclusion criteria were as follows: age from 41 to 65 years and a diagnosis of high-grade spindle cell, pleomorphic, or vascular RPMBS. The chemotherapy regimen included doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 , ifosfamide 9 g/m2 , and cisplatin 90 mg/m2 ; postoperative methotrexate 8 g/m2 was added in case of a poor histologic response. Version 2.0 of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and univariate Cox regression models were used. Results: In total, 113 patients were evaluable for analysis. The median patient age was 52 years (range, 40-66 years), and 67 patients were men. Eighty-eight tumors were categorized as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPS), 20 were categorized as leiomyosarcomas, three were categorized as fibrosarcomas, and two were categorized as angiosarcomas. Eighty-three of 113 tumors were located in the extremities. Ninety-five of 113 patients presented with no evidence of metastases. After a median follow-up of 6.8 years (interquartile range [IQR], 3.5-9.8 years), the 5-year overall survival rate for patients with localized disease was 68.4% (IQR, 56.9%-77.5%), and it was 71.7% (IQR, 58.1%-81.6%) for patients with UPS and 54.9% (IQR, 29.5%-74.5%) for patients with leiomyosarcoma. Grade III-IV hematologic toxicity was reported in 81% patients; 23% had grade II-III neurotoxicity, and 37.5% had grade I-II nephrotoxicity. Five-year overall survival was significantly better for patients with localized disease, for patients who obtained surgical complete remission, and when the primary tumor was located in the extremities. Conclusions: The survival of patients who had RPMBS in the current series was similar to that of age-matched patients who had high-grade osteosarcoma treated according to the same protocol. An osteosarcoma-like chemotherapy may be proposed in patients who have RPMBS

Exit strategies by private equity firms in the nordic region : An empirical assessment of IPO performance across private equity-backed- and non-backed firms and a qualitative assessment of exit strategies by private equity firms

This study investigates underpricing of private equity (PE)- backed IPOs and the various exit routes available to PE firms. First, we examine whether IPO underpricing differ across PEbacked- and non-backed (NB) firms employing different empirical techniques. Our final dataset consists of 60 PE-backed- and 155 NB IPOs listed on Nordic exchanges (2005-2014). Second, we investigate exit strategies- and (potential) interrelation between entry and exit by PE firms, through interviews with partners from renowned PE firms (Altor, EQT, FSN Capital, Herkules Capital and HitechVision). We found PE-backed IPOs to be significantly less underpriced than NB IPOs, consistent with prior research. Interview respondents attribute our result to i) PE-sponsors may be superior at timing- and promoting IPOs and/or ii) PE-sponsors may strive to maximise the offer price to boost proceeds. Consensus in prior research attributes our finding to PE-sponsors being able to certify true firm value in IPOs. Moreover, we document significantly lower underpricing of venture capital - compared to buyout-backed IPOs. Finally, we find that underpricing increases with the aftermarket volatility (and thereby the risk) related to an issue, independent of PE-backing. Respondents from interviews listed price, transaction risk and divestment efficiency as the most important factors determining choice of exit route. The majority expressed strong preference for trade sales (ceteris paribus) as it enables efficient divestment and commonly provides superior pricing. In contrast, IPO appeared to represent the least favourable exit channel due to inefficient divestment and extensive regulation. However, the respondents underlined that IPOs may represent the preferred exit for particularly successful (and large) portfolio firms, as it “enables participation in future value creation while at the same time taking some “risk off the table”” - Respondent 4. Finally, we find that exit opportunities related to an investment case may have decisive implications for whether PE-sponsors enter or not