London Health Sciences Centre

Brightshores Health System adjusts referral process due to oncologist shortage, redirecting patients with non-lung, colorectal, or breast cancer to nearby centers. Current patients remain unaffected. Brightshores continues to oversee referrals and provide pharmacy services for oral chemotherapy.

PSC genomic classifier predicts prognosis and benefits of LT-ADT in high-risk PCa, with basal subtype showing worse outcomes and greater benefit from LT-ADT, suggesting personalized ADT recommendations.

Canadian researchers are part of global efforts to test targeted alpha therapy, a new cancer treatment using radioactive alpha particles to kill cancer cells more effectively and with less damage to healthy tissue. Several therapies are in final stages of testing and could be approved by Health Canada within a few years. Potential applications include pancreatic, prostate, breast, and neuroendocrine cancers. Challenges include production of rare radioactive isotopes and high costs, with treatments expected to cost tens of thousands of dollars per dose.

89% of U.S. cancer centers faced chemotherapy drug shortages, including etoposide, crucial for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). In Canada, etoposide shortages from 2018-2020 led to a 'natural experiment' evaluating alternative treatments, revealing increased hospitalizations and shorter progression-free survival. The study suggested clinical practice guidelines for drug shortages and future research on their socioeconomic impacts. Meanwhile, a Japanese study on durvalumab plus carboplatin and etoposide for ES-SCLC patients with poor performance status showed promising tolerability and efficacy.

New guidelines for AI use in brain cancer diagnosis and treatment ensure reliable clinical trial results and patient protection, addressing variability in radiologist interpretations and promoting objective AI analysis of tumor images.

A Canadian study shows that providing addiction support during hospitalization significantly improves long-term survival for people who inject drugs with endocarditis. Women are disproportionately affected, and urban women face higher mortality. The study emphasizes the need for comprehensive addiction treatment and contraceptive access for pregnant women.

VITdALIZE-KIDS is a phase III, multicenter, double-blind RCT designed with CCCTG to assess vitamin D supplementation in PICU patients. The trial will recruit 766 patients from 11 Canadian centers, with randomization stratified by site. The primary outcome is HRQL at 28 ± 7 days post-intervention, measured by PedsQL™. A metabolomics sub-study will analyze blood and urine samples to understand the broader metabolic effects of vitamin D correction. Safety monitoring includes reporting adverse events and following Health Canada guidelines. The trial protocol adheres to SPIRIT guidelines and has received necessary ethical and regulatory approvals.