Cancer is daunting for both patients and for clinical teams. Dr John McGrane and Dr Michael Rowe are oncologists who want to break down the complex parts of cancer care into clear and simple sessions.
We will dive deep into the world of cancer research, patient stories and the latest cancer breakthroughs. Simply Oncology will have patient focused episodes along with episodes that allow anyone with an interest in oncology to stay up to date. We hope you join us as we unpick all parts of cancer.
Circulating tumour DNA-guided chemotherapy has different evidence in low-risk stage II and high-risk stage III colon cancer. Emerging research investigates biomarkers for anti-EGFR treatment and neoadjuvant immunotherapy, but negative circulating tumour DNA cannot reliably exclude recurrence or justify de-escalation in high-risk disease.
FOXTROT moves six weeks of planned chemotherapy before colon cancer surgery, with benefits differing by mismatch repair status. Preoperative staging uncertainty, emerging immunotherapy evidence and organ-preservation research complicate treatment selection and interpretation of pathological response.
Real-world kidney cancer data show lower complete response rates than selected clinical trials but durable responses with different immunotherapy combinations. Treatment selection must consider risk, response urgency and tolerability, while optimal management after relapse following adjuvant treatment remains uncertain.
IMDC risk stratification uses six clinical and laboratory variables to estimate prognosis in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Emerging biomarkers including PD-L1, circulating tumour DNA and KIM-1 may add information, but their limitations complicate interpretation and clinical implementation.
Future acute oncology services may combine regional consultant expertise, nurse-supported virtual assessment, ambulatory pathways and emergency patient-reported outcomes. Capacity released through avoided admissions has clinical value but should not automatically be presented as direct financial saving.
Acute oncology brings specialist cancer expertise to emergency presentations, treatment toxicity and cancer-related complications, using early advice, ambulatory pathways and supported community care to avoid unnecessary admission, reduce deconditioning and preserve fitness for further treatment.
INTENSIFY tests whether adding docetaxel improves survival after a suboptimal PSA response in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, while prospectively assessing Decipher and P10 inactivity scores as potential predictors rather than assuming poor prognosis means chemotherapy benefit.
INTENSIFY tests whether adding docetaxel improves overall survival when metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer remains responsive but PSA has not fallen below 0.2, using selected recruitment and genomic stratification without assuming poorer prognosis proves chemotherapy benefit.
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment requires meaningful comparison between cystectomy and curative bladder-preserving chemoradiotherapy, while frailty, quality of life, unequal access to systemic therapies, response assessment and trial design can materially influence which options patients actually receive.
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer may be treated definitively with radical cystectomy or bladder-preserving radiotherapy. Selection should separate chronological age from physiological reserve, baseline urinary function and patient preference, while parallel specialist review limits avoidable delay.
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