Prey selection and growth in 0+ Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis L. in littoral zones of seven temperate lakes

We studied the relationships between the planktonic food base and feeding patterns of juvenile mid-summer/ early autumn Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis L., a common predatory freshwater fish in large parts of Europe and Asia. The feeding of 0+ perch was studied during summer and autumn in littoral habitats of seven lakes with different environmental conditions –four Latvian (Auciema, Riebinu, Vārzgūnes, Laukezers) and three Estonian (Kaiavere, Prossa and Akste) lakes. Simultaneously, the abundance, biomass and structure of zooplankton communities were examined. We focused on the littoral areas because many studies in lakes suggest that littoral habitats are particularly important for 0+ fish growth and survival. We were interested in the question: can the diet and growth of 0+ perch be explained by zooplankton community structure? We also presumed that if the amount of zooplankton is low, more benthic invertebrates will be consumed by 0+ perch. Opposite to expectations, we found that zooplankton always counted for over 90% of diet biomass in perch. There were also clear correlations between the zooplankton biomass in a given lake, the zooplankton biomass in 0+ perch stomachs, and the fish growth rate. The study also suggested that nutrient enrichment can positively impact the 0+ perch feeding conditions in lakes.The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the State budget of the Republic of Latvia and the foundation “Institute for Environmental Solutions”. Funding for this project was also provided by the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 951963 (TREICLAKE “Towards Research Excellence and Innovation Capacity in Studying Lake Ecosystems Functional Structures and Climate Change Impact”).The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the State budget of the Republic of Latvia and the foundation “Institute for Environmental Solutions”. Funding for this project was also provided by the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 951963 (TREICLAKE “Towards Research Excellence and Innovation Capacity in Studying Lake Ecosystems Functional Structures and Climate Change Impact”)

The influence of macrophyte ecological groups on food web components of temperate freshwater lakes

Aquatic macrophyte taxonomic composition, species abundance and cover determine the physical structure, complexity and heterogeneity of aquatic habitats – the structuring role of macrophytes. These traits influence richness, distribution, feeding and strength of the relationships between food web communities in lakes. The aim of this study was to determine how lakes with different dominating macrophyte ecological groups affect planktonic food web components, emphasising the influence on young of year (YOY) fish and large (≥1 +) fish community. We hypothesised that different dominating macrophyte ecological groups have different structural effects on food web components and YOY fish growth, abundance and feeding. Studied lakes categorised into three different macrophyte ecological groups – lakes dominated by emergent, floating+floating-leaved or submerged vegetation. We found that all dominating ecological groups had a strong influence on plankton communities (except heterotrophic bacterioplankton and nanoflagellates), YOY fish and large fish. Floating-leaved plant dominance was positively related to planktonic food web structure and YOY fish weight, length, abundance and the consumption of zooplankton as a prey of all major species of YOY fishes. Larger fish tended to favour the presence of emergent vegetation. This conclusion has important implications for local managers and conservationists in respect to the maintenance and protection of littoral habitats and fish resources.The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the State budget of the Republic of Latvia and the foundation “Institute for Environmental Solutions”. Also, this project has received funding from the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 951963.The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the State budget of the Republic of Latvia and the foundation “Institute for Environmental Solutions”. Also, this project has received funding from the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 951963

Mortality and incidence of second cancers following treatment for testicular cancer

We studied 5555 seminoma patients and 3733 patients with nonseminomatous testicular cancers diagnosed in Southeast England between 1960 and 2004. For both groups survival improved over time: 10-year relative survival increased from 78% in 1960–1969 to 99% in 1990–2004 for seminomas, and from 55 to 95% for nonseminomas. In the early period mortality was still significantly increased more than 15 years after diagnosis in both groups, whereas in more recent periods the excess deaths mainly occurred in the first 5 years after diagnosis. For seminomas, there was a significant excess of cancers of the colon (standardised incidence ratio (SIR) 2.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13–4.35), soft tissue (SIR 13.64; CI 1.65–49.28) and bladder (SIR 4.28; CI 2.28–7.31) in the long term (20+ years after diagnosis), of pancreatic cancer in both the medium (10–19 years) (SIR 2.91; CI 1.26–5.73) and long term (SIR 5.48; CI 2.37–10.80), of leukaemia in both the short (0–9 years) (SIR 3.01; CI 1.44–5.54) and long term (SIR 4.48; CI 1.64–9.75), and of testis cancer in both the short (SIR 6.69; CI 4.28–9.95) and medium term (SIR 3.96; CI 1.08–10.14). For nonseminomas, significant excesses were found in the long term for cancers of the stomach (SIR 5.13; CI 1.40–13.13), rectum (SIR 4.49; CI 1.22–11.51) and pancreas (SIR 10.17: CI 3.73–22.13), and for testis cancer in the medium term (SIR 5.94; CI 2.18–12.93). Leukaemia was significantly increased in the short term (SIR 6.78; CI 2.93–13.36). The better survival observed is largely attributable to improved treatment, and the trend in reducing the toxicity of therapy should continue to reduce future health risks in testicular cancer survivors

The ProtecT trial: analysis of the patient cohort, baseline risk stratification and disease progression.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the baseline clinico-pathological features of the men with localized prostate cancer (PCa) included in the ProtecT (Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment) trial who progressed (n = 198) at a 10-year median follow-up were different from those of men with stable disease (n = 1409). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We stratified the study participants at baseline according to risk of progression using clinical disease stage, pathological grade and PSA level, using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: The findings showed that 34% of participants (n = 505) had intermediate- or high-risk PCa, and 66% (n = 973) had low-risk PCa. Of 198 participants who progressed, 101 (51%) had baseline International Society of Urological Pathology Grade Group 1, 59 (30%) Grade Group 2, and 38 (19%) Grade Group 3 PCa, compared with 79%, 17% and 5%, respectively, for 1409 participants without progression (P < 0.001). In participants with progression, 38% and 62% had baseline low- and intermediate-/high-risk disease, compared with 69% and 31% of participants with stable disease (P < 0.001). Treatment received, age (65-69 vs 50-64 years), PSA level, Grade Group, clinical stage, risk group, number of positive cores, tumour length and perineural invasion were associated with time to progression (P ≤ 0.005). Men progressing after surgery (n = 19) were more likely to have a higher Grade Group and pathological stage at surgery, larger tumours, lymph node involvement and positive margins. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that one-third of the ProtecT cohort consists of people with intermediate-/high-risk disease, and the outcomes data at an average of 10 years' follow-up are generalizable beyond men with low-risk PCa

Survival from testicular cancer in England and Wales up to 2001

www.bjcancer.com For many years testicular cancer has been the prime example of the tumour that is chemocurable, even when metastatic. The disappointment in oncology is that these results have so far not been replicated in the more common solid tumours. Why this should be is not clear but germ-cell tumours retain sensitivity to chemotherapy in vitro and a number of mechanisms including reduced DNA repair capacity and proneness to apoptosis have been proposed (Mayer et al, 2003). Most patients with testicular cancer present after finding a lump in the testicle that may or may not be painful. A small proportion of patients present with symptoms of metastatic disease. With the exception of some patients with metastatic disease, initial treatment after first assessment is to remove the tumour by inguinal orchidectomy. Patients are staged by tumour marke

Definitive radiotherapy and Single-Agent radiosensitizing Ifosfamide in Patients with localized, irresectable Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A retrospective analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background and Purpose</p> <p>Standard therapy for soft-tissue sarcomas remains complete resection. For primary radiotherapy local control rates of 30-45% have been reported. We analyzed retrospectively 11 cases of radiochemotherapy with single-agent ifosfamide in patients with macroscopic soft-tissue sarcomas.</p> <p>Patients and Methods</p> <p>The patients were treated in irresectable high risk situations. Radiation therapy was performed with median 60 Gy. During the first and fifth week the concomitant chemotherapy with ifosfamide was added. Two patients received trimodal therapy with additional regional hyperthermia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The therapy was completed in 73% of the patients. Average local control time was 91 months, median disease-free-survival/overall-survival was 8/26 months. Five-year rates for local control/disease free survival/overall survival were 70%/34%/34%. The limited prognosis is mainly caused by systemic treatment failure.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data strongly suggest a better outcome of radiochemotherapy with ifosfamide compared to radiotherapy alone and radiotherapy in combination with other radiosensitizers.</p

A Unique Radiation Scheme for the Treatment of High-Grade Non-Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma: The Detroit Medical Center Experience

Purpose:This is the initial report on the utilization of combined photon irradiation followed by a neutron boost irradiation for the initial management of patients with high-grade non-metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). We present data on local control, complications, disease-free survival and overall survival in patients at high risk for local relapse

Intensity modulated radiotherapy for high risk prostate cancer based on sentinel node SPECT imaging for target volume definition

BACKGROUND: The RTOG 94-13 trial has provided evidence that patients with high risk prostate cancer benefit from an additional radiotherapy to the pelvic nodes combined with concomitant hormonal ablation. Since lymphatic drainage of the prostate is highly variable, the optimal target volume definition for the pelvic lymph nodes is problematic. To overcome this limitation, we tested the feasibility of an intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) protocol, taking under consideration the individual pelvic sentinel node drainage pattern by SPECT functional imaging. METHODS: Patients with high risk prostate cancer were included. Sentinel nodes (SN) were localised 1.5–3 hours after injection of 250 MBq (99m)Tc-Nanocoll using a double-headed gamma camera with an integrated X-Ray device. All sentinel node localisations were included into the pelvic clinical target volume (CTV). Dose prescriptions were 50.4 Gy (5 × 1.8 Gy / week) to the pelvis and 70.0 Gy (5 × 2.0 Gy / week) to the prostate including the base of seminal vesicles or whole seminal vesicles. Patients were treated with IMRT. Furthermore a theoretical comparison between IMRT and a three-dimensional conformal technique was performed. RESULTS: Since 08/2003 6 patients were treated with this protocol. All patients had detectable sentinel lymph nodes (total 29). 4 of 6 patients showed sentinel node localisations (total 10), that would not have been treated adequately with CT-based planning ('geographical miss') only. The most common localisation for a probable geographical miss was the perirectal area. The comparison between dose-volume-histograms of IMRT- and conventional CT-planning demonstrated clear superiority of IMRT when all sentinel lymph nodes were included. IMRT allowed a significantly better sparing of normal tissue and reduced volumes of small bowel, large bowel and rectum irradiated with critical doses. No gastrointestinal or genitourinary acute toxicity Grade 3 or 4 (RTOG) occurred. CONCLUSION: IMRT based on sentinel lymph node identification is feasible and reduces the probability of a geographical miss. Furthermore, IMRT allows a pronounced sparing of normal tissue irradiation. Thus, the chosen approach will help to increase the curative potential of radiotherapy in high risk prostate cancer patients