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Background Recurrence is a key outcome to evaluate treatment effect of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, no consistent definition of recurrence is available in current literature or international guidelines. Therefore, the primary aim of this systematic review was to delineate the definitions of recurrence of DTC, categorized by total thyroidectomy with radioactive iodine ablation (RAI), total thyroidectomy without RAI and lobectomy, to assess if there is a generally accepted definition among these categories. Methods This study adhered to 2020 PRISMA statement. In December 2023, systematic literature search in MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed for studies reporting on recurrence of DTC, from January 2018 to December 2023. Studies that did not provide a definition were excluded. Primary outcome was the definition of recurrence of DTC. Secondary outcome whether studies differentiated between recurrence and persistent disease. Two independent investigators screened titles and abstracts, followed by full-text assessment and data extraction. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO,CRD42021291753. Results In total, 1450 studies were identified. Seventy studies met inclusion criteria, including 69 retrospective studies and one RCT. Median number of patients in included studies was 438 (range 25 - 2297). Seventeen studies (24.3%) reported on lobectomy, four studies (5.7%) on total thyroidectomy without RAI, and 49 studies (70.0%) with RAI. All studies defined recurrence using one or a combination of four diagnostic modalities: cytology/pathology, imaging studies, thyroglobulin(-antibodies), predetermined minimum tumor-free time span. The most common definition of recurrence following lobectomy was cytology/pathology-proven recurrence (47.1% of this subgroup), following total thyroidectomy with RAI was cytology/pathology-proven recurrence and/or anomalies detected on imaging studies (22.4% of this subgroup). No consistent definition was found following total thyroidectomy without RAI. Nine studies (12.9%) differentiated between recurrence and persistent disease. Conclusion Our main finding is that there is no universally accepted definition for recurrence of DTC in the current studies across any of the treatment categories. The findings of this study will provide the basis for a future, international Delphi-based proposal to establish a universally accepted definition of recurrence of DTC. A uniform definition could facilitate global discussion and enhance the assessment of treatment outcomes regarding recurrence of DTC.

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OBJECTIVE: Hereditary pheochromocytoma (hPCC) commonly develops bilaterally, causing adrenal insufficiency when standard treatment, radical adrenalectomy (RA), is performed. Partial adrenalectomy (PA) aims to preserve adrenal function, but with higher recurrence rates. This study compares outcomes of PA versus RA in hPCC. METHODS: Patients with hPCC due to pathogenic variants in RET, VHL, NF1, MAX, and TMEM127 from 12 European centers (1974-2023) were studied retrospectively. Stratified analysis based on surgery type and initial presentation was conducted. The main outcomes included recurrence, adrenal insufficiency, metastasis, and mortality. RESULTS: The study included 256 patients (223 RA, 33 PA). Ipsilateral recurrence rates were 9/223 (4%) after RA versus 5/33 (15%) after PA (P = 0.02). Metastasis and mortality did not differ between groups. Overall, 103 patients (40%) underwent bilateral adrenalectomy either synchronously or metachronously (75 RA, 28 PA). Of these, 46% developed adrenal insufficiency after PA.In total, 191 patients presented with initial unilateral disease, of whom 50 (26%) developed metachronous contralateral disease, most commonly in RET, VHL, and MAX. In patients with metachronous bilateral disease, adrenal insufficiency developed in 3/4 (75%) when PA was performed as the first operation followed by RA, compared to 1/7 (14%) when PA was performed as the second operation after prior RA (P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: In patients with hPCC undergoing PA, local recurrence rates are higher than after RA, but metastasis and disease-specific mortality are similar. Therefore, PA seems a safe method to preserve adrenal function in patients with hPCC, in cases of both synchronous and metachronous bilateral disease, when performed as a second operation.

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Aim: Tumor markers often remain elevated after intended curative resection of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The aim of this study was to determine the expression of αvß3, a promising theranostics target, in MTC and its metastases. Materials & methods: Avß3 expression was analyzed in 104 patients using a tissue microarray and correlated with clinicopathological variables and survival. Results: Cytoplasmic αvß3 positivity was seen in 70 patients and was associated with lymph node metastases at time of initial surgery. Membranous positivity was considered positive in 30 patients and was associated with sporadic MTC. Conclusion: Avß3 was expressed in the cytoplasm of 67% of MTC patients. Membranous expression, which is presumably most relevant for the theranostic use of αvß3, was seen in 29%.

[Box: see text].

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OBJECTIVE: Meningiomas are one of the most frequently occurring brain tumors and can be curatively treated with gross-total resection. A subtotal resection increases the chances of recurrence. The intraoperative identification of invisible tumor remnants by using a fluorescent tracer targeting an upregulated biomarker could help to optimize meningioma resection. This is called molecular fluorescence-guided surgery (MFGS). Vascular endothelial growth factor α (VEGFα) has been identified as a suitable meningioma biomarker and can be targeted with bevacizumab-IRDye800CW. METHODS: The aim of this prospective phase I trial was to determine the safety and feasibility of bevacizumab-IRDye800CW for MFGS for intracranial meningiomas by administering 4.5, 10, or 25 mg of the tracer 2-4 days prior to surgery. Fluorescence was verified during the operation with the standard neurosurgical microscope, and tissue specimens were postoperatively analyzed with fluorescence imaging systems (Pearl and Odyssey CLx) and spectroscopy to determine the optimal dose. Uptake was compared in several tissue types and correlated with VEGFα expression. RESULTS: No adverse events related to the use of bevacizumab-IRDye800CW occurred. After two interim analyses, 10 mg was the optimal dose based on ex vivo tumor-to-background ratio. Although the standard intraoperative imaging revealed no fluorescence, postoperative analyses with tailored imaging systems showed high fluorescence uptake in tumor compared with unaffected dura mater and brain. Additionally, tumor invasion of the dura mater (dural tail) and invasion of bone could be distinguished using fluorescence imaging. Fluorescence intensity showed a good correlation with VEGFα expression. CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab-IRDye800CW can be safely used in patients with meningioma; 10 mg bevacizumab-IRDye800CW provided an adequate tumor-to-background ratio. Adjustments of the currently available neurosurgical microscopes are needed to achieve visualization of targeted IRDye800CW intraoperatively. A phase II/III trial is needed to methodically investigate the benefit of MFGS with bevacizumab-IRDye800CW for meningioma surgery in a larger cohort of patients.

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BACKGROUND: Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) is rare and data on long-term oncological outcomes are scarce. This study aimed to describe the long-term recurrence and survival rates of AYAs with FTC, and identify risk factors for recurrence. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study combining two national databases, including all patients aged 15-39 years, diagnosed with FTC in The Netherlands between 2000 and 2016. Age, sex, tumor size, focality, positive margins, angioinvasion, pT-stage, and pN-stage were included in a Cox proportional hazard model to identify risk factors for recurrence. RESULTS: We included 192 patients. Median age was 31.0 years (IQR 24.7-36.3) and the male to female ratio was 1:4.1. Most patients presented with a minimally invasive FTC (MI-FTC) (95%). Five patients presented with synchronous metastases (2.6%), including two with locoregional metastases (1%) and three with distant metastases (1.6%). During a median follow-up of 12.0 years, three patients developed a recurrence (1.6%), of which one patient developed a local recurrence (33%), and two patients a distant recurrence (67%). Five patients died during follow-up (2.6%). Cause of death was not captured. A Cox proportional hazard model could not be performed due to the low number of recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: FTC in AYAs is generally characterized as a low-risk tumor, as it exhibits a very low recurrence rate, a high overall survival, and it typically presents as MI-FTC without synchronous metastases. These findings underscore the favorable long-term oncological prognosis of FTC in AYAs.

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BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a dreaded complication following colorectal cancer surgery, impacting patient outcome and leads to increasing healthcare consumption as well as economic burden. Bowel perfusion is a significant modifiable factor for anastomotic healing and thus crucial for reducing AL. AIMS: The study aimed to calculate a cut-off value for quantified laser speckle perfusion units (LSPUs) in order to differentiate between ischemic and well-perfused tissue and to assess inter-observer reliability. METHODS: LSCI was performed using a porcine ischemic small bowel loop model with the PerfusiX-Imaging® system. An ischemic area, a well-perfused area, and watershed areas, were selected based on the LSCI colormap. Subsequently, local capillary lactate (LCL) levels were measured. A logarithmic curve estimation tested the correlation between LSPU and LCL levels. A cut-off value for LSPU and lactate was calculated, based on anatomically ischemic and well-perfused tissue. Inter-observer variability analysis was performed with 10 observers. RESULTS: Directly after ligation of the mesenteric arteries, differences in LSPU values between ischemic and well-perfused tissue were significant (p < 0.001) and increased significantly throughout all following measurements. LCL levels were significantly different (p < 0.001) at both 60 and 120 min. Logarithmic curve estimation showed an R2 value of 0.56 between LSPU and LCL values. A LSPU cut-off value was determined at 69, with a sensitivity of 0.94 and specificity of 0.87. A LCL cut-off value of 3.8 mmol/L was found, with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.97 and 1.0, respectively. There was no difference in assessment between experienced and unexperienced observers. Cohen's Kappa values were moderate to good (0.52-0.66). CONCLUSION: Real-time quantification of LSPUs may be a feasible intraoperative method to assess tissue perfusion and a cut-off value could be determined with high sensitivity and specificity. Inter-observer variability was moderate to good, irrespective of prior experience with the technique.

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INTRODUCTION: Anastomotic leakage is a major concern following total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer, affecting oncological outcomes, morbidity an treatment costs. Body composition has been suggested to influence anastomotic leakage rates. However, literature on how body composition impact anastomotic leakage rates is conflicting. This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of computed tomography derived body composition metrics on anastomotic leakage rates in rectal cancer patients. METHODS: Databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, web of science, and EMBASE, will be systematically searched for papers from January 2010 onwards. Study selection, data collection and quality assessment will be independently performed by three research fellows. Outcomes described in three or more studies will be included in the meta-analysis. The Q-test and I2 statistic will be used to assess statistical heterogeneity between studies. Publication bias will be examined by visual inspection of funnel plots and quantified by Egger's test. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted to examine the robustness of the meta-analysis. Reporting of the findings will be in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review will synthesize the current evidence and will identify knowledge gaps. Results of the systematic review will aid health care professional in pre-operative decision making and will be distributed through a peer-reviewed publication and presentation of results at international meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO protocol number: CRD42023471537.

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The differential diagnosis of a rapidly enlarging neck mass consists of many different benign ((haemorrhagic) cyst) and malignant (anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) and lymphoma) causes. ATC is a rare disease with a median survival of 6 months. As early diagnosis and management are key for fast-growing cancers, in our centre we have implemented a dedicated short-stay in-hospital fast-track diagnostic work-up for patients with a rapid growing mass in the neck. The goal of this track is to have a fast diagnostic and therapeutic plan for this disease. Based on three clinical cases we discuss our experience with this fast-track diagnostic work-up for rapidly growing mass in the neck and illustrate the additional value in this clinical entity.

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To avoid delay in oncological treatment, a 6-weeks norm for time to treatment has been agreed on in The Netherlands. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems resulted in reduced capacity for regular surgical care. In this study, we investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on time to treatment in surgical oncology in The Netherlands. METHODS: A population-based analysis of data derived from five surgical audits, including patients who underwent surgery for lung cancer, colorectal cancer, upper gastro-intestinal, and hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) malignancies, was performed. The COVID-19 cohort of 2020 was compared to the historic cohorts of 2018 and 2019. Primary endpoints were time to treatment initiation and the proportion of patients whose treatment started within 6 weeks. The secondary objective was to evaluate the differences in characteristics and tumour stage distribution between patients treated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 14,567 surgical cancer patients were included in this study, of these 3292 treatments were started during the COVID-19 pandemic. The median time to treatment decreased during the pandemic (26 vs. 27 days, p < 0.001) and the proportion of patients whose treatment started within 6 weeks increased (76% vs. 73%, p < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for patient characteristics, no significant difference in post-operative outcomes between patients who started treatment before or after 6 weeks was found. Overall, the number of procedures performed per week decreased by 8.1% during the pandemic. This reduction was most profound for patients with stage I lung carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma. There were fewer patients with pulmonary comorbidities in the pandemic cohort (11% vs. 13%, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Despite pressure on the capacity of the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic, a larger proportion of surgical oncological patients started treatment within six weeks, possibly due to prioritisation of cancer care and reductions in elective procedures. However, during the pandemic, a decrease in the number of surgical oncological procedures performed in The Netherlands was observed, especially for patients with stage I disease.

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Annually more than 1 million newly diagnosed cancer cases and 500,000 cancer-related deaths occur in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). By 2030, the cancer burden in Africa is expected to double accompanied by low survival rates. Surgery remains the primary treatment for solid tumours especially where other treatment modalities are lacking. However, in SSA, surgical residents lack sufficient training in cancer treatment. In 2022, Malawian and Dutch specialists co-designed a training course focusing on oncologic diseases and potential treatment options tailored to the Malawian context. The aim of this study was to describe the co-creation process of a surgical oncology education activity in a low resource setting, at the same time attempting to evaluate the effectiveness of this training program. The course design was guided and evaluated conform Kirkpatrick's requirements for an effective training program. Pre-and post-course questionnaires were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness. Thirty-five surgical and gynaecological residents from Malawi participated in the course. Eighty-six percent of respondents (n = 24/28) were highly satisfied at the end of the course. After a 2-month follow-up, 84% (n = 16/19) frequently applied the newly acquired knowledge, and 74% (n = 14/19) reported to have changed their patient care. The course costs were approximately 119 EUR per attendee per day. This course generally received generally positively feedback, had high satisfaction rates, and enhanced knowledge and confidence in the surgical treatment of cancer. Its effectiveness should be further evaluated using the same co-creation model in different settings. Integrating oncology into the regular curriculum of surgical residents is recommended.

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AKS-452, a subunit vaccine comprising an Fc fusion of the ancestral wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein receptor binding domain (SP/RBD), was evaluated without adjuvant in a single cohort, non-randomized, open-labelled phase II study (NCT05124483) at a single site in The Netherlands for safety and immunogenicity. A single 90 µg subcutaneous booster dose of AKS-452 was administered to 71 adults previously primed with a registered mRNA- or adenovirus-based vaccine and evaluated for 273 days. All AEs were mild and no SAEs were attributable to AKS-452. While all subjects showed pre-existing SP/RBD binding and ACE2-inhibitory IgG titers, 60-68% responded to AKS-452 via ≥2-fold increase from days 28 to 90 and progressively decreased back to baseline by day 180 (days 28 and 90 mean fold-increases, 14.7 ± 6.3 and 8.0 ± 2.2). Similar response kinetics against RBD mutant proteins (including omicrons) were observed but with slightly reduced titers relative to WT. There was an expected strong inverse correlation between day-0 titers and the fold-increase in titers at day 28. AKS-452 enhanced neutralization potency against live virus, consistent with IgG titers. Nucleocapsid protein (Np) titers suggested infection occurred in 66% (46 of 70) of subjects, in which only 20 reported mild symptomatic COVID-19. These favorable safety and immunogenicity profiles support booster evaluation in a planned phase III universal booster study of this room-temperature stable vaccine that can be rapidly and inexpensively manufactured to serve vaccination at a global scale without the need of a complex distribution or cold chain.

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The impact of pre-transplant parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels on early or long-term kidney function after kidney transplantation is subject of debate. We assessed whether severe hyperparathyroidism is associated with delayed graft function (DGF), death-censored graft failure (DCGF), or all-cause mortality. In this single-center cohort study, we studied the relationship between PTH and other parameters related to bone and mineral metabolism, including serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) at time of transplantation with the subsequent risk of DGF, DCGF and all-cause mortality using multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses. In 1,576 kidney transplant recipients (51.6 ± 14.0 years, 57.3% male), severe hyperparathyroidism characterized by pre-transplant PTH ≥771 pg/mL (>9 times the upper limit) was present in 121 patients. During 5.2 [0.2-30.0] years follow-up, 278 (15.7%) patients developed DGF, 150 (9.9%) DCGF and 432 (28.6%) died. A higher pre-transplant PTH was not associated with DGF (HR 1.06 [0.90-1.25]), DCGF (HR 0.98 [0.87-1.13]), or all-cause mortality (HR 1.02 [0.93-1.11]). Results were consistent in sensitivity analyses. The same applied to other parameters related to bone and mineral metabolism, including ALP. Severe pre-transplant hyperparathyroidism was not associated with an increased risk of DGF, DCGF or all-cause mortality, not supporting the need of correction before kidney transplantation to improve graft or patient survival.

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BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery protocols emphasize the importance of early postoperative mobilization. However, literature quantifying actual physical activity after major abdominal cancer surgery is scarce and inconclusive. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-center prospective cohort study was conducted at the University Medical Center Groningen from 2019 to 2021. Patients' postoperative physical activity was measured using an accelerometer, with the primary aim of assessing daily physical activity. Secondary aims were identifying patient-related factors associated with low physical activity and studying the consequences of low physical activity in terms of complication rate and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: 143 patients included (48 % male; mean age 65 years), 38.5 %, 24.5 %, 19.6 %, and 14 % underwent pancreatic, hepatic, colorectal, or cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, respectively. Median daily step count was low; from median 71 steps on the first to 918 steps on the seventh postoperative day. An association between physical activity and age (OR 3.597, p = 0.013), preoperative weight loss ≥10 % (OR 4.984, p = 0.004), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2 (OR 4.016, p = 0.001), midline laparotomy (OR 2.851, p = 0.025), and operation duration (OR 1.003, p = 0.044) was found. An association was observed between physical activity and the occurrence of complications (OR 3.197, p = 0.039) and prolonged hospital stay (ß 4.068, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Postoperative physical activity is low in patients undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery and is linked to postoperative outcomes. Although physical activity should be encouraged in all patients, patient-specific risk factors were identified that can aid early recognition of patients at risk of low physical activity.

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PURPOSE: Accurate preoperative localization is imperative to guide surgery in primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). It remains unclear which second-line imaging technique is most effective after negative first-line imaging. In this study, we compare the diagnostic effectiveness of [11C]methionine PET/CT, [11C]choline PET/CT, and four dimensional (4D)-CT head-to-head in patients with pHPT, to explore which of these imaging techniques to use as a second-line scan. METHODS: We conducted a powered, prospective, blinded cohort study in patients with biochemically proven pHPT and prior negative or discordant first-line imaging consisting of ultrasonography and 99mTc-sestamibi. All patients underwent [11C]methionine PET/CT, [11C]choline PET/CT, and 4D-CT. At first, all scans were interpreted by a nuclear medicine physician, and a radiologist who were blinded from patient data and all imaging results. Next, a non-blinded scan reading was performed. The scan results were correlated with surgical and histopathological findings. Serum calcium values at least 6 months after surgery were used as gold standard for curation of HPT. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients were included in the study. With blinded evaluation, [11C]choline PET/CT was positive in 28 patients (88%), [11C]methionine PET/CT in 23 (72%), and 4D-CT in 15 patients (47%), respectively. In total, 30 patients have undergone surgery and 32 parathyroid lesions were histologically confirmed as parathyroid adenomas. Based on the blinded evaluation, lesion-based sensitivity of [11C]choline PET/CT, [11C]methionine PET/CT, and 4D-CT was respectively 85%, 67%, and 39%. The sensitivity of [11C]choline PET/CT differed significantly from that of [11C]methionine PET/CT and 4D-CT (p = 0.031 and p < 0.0005, respectively). CONCLUSION: In the setting of pHPT with negative first-line imaging, [11C]choline PET/CT is superior to [11C]methionine PET/CT and 4D-CT in localizing parathyroid adenomas, allowing correct localization in 85% of adenomas. Further studies are needed to determine cost-benefit and efficacy of these scans, including the timing of these scans as first- or second-line imaging techniques.

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PURPOSE: Multifocal disease in PTC is associated with an increased recurrence rate. Multifocal disease (MD) is underdiagnosed with the current gold standard of pre-operative ultrasound staging. Here, we evaluate the use of EMI-137 targeted molecular fluorescence-guided imaging (MFGI) and spectroscopy as a tool for the intra-operative detection of uni- and multifocal papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) aiming to improve disease staging and treatment selection. METHODS: A phase-1 study (NCT03470259) with EMI-137 was conducted to evaluate the possibility of detecting PTC using MFGI and quantitative fiber-optic spectroscopy. RESULTS: Fourteen patients underwent hemi- or total thyroidectomy (TTX) after administration of 0.09 mg/kg (n = 1), 0.13 mg/kg (n = 8), or 0.18 mg/kg (n = 5) EMI-137. Both MFGI and spectroscopy could differentiate PTC from healthy thyroid tissue after administration of EMI-137, which binds selectively to MET in PTC. 0.13 mg/kg was the lowest dosage EMI-137 that allowed for differentiation between PTC and healthy thyroid tissue. The smallest PTC focus detected by MFGI was 1.4 mm. MFGI restaged 80% of patients from unifocal to multifocal PTC compared to ultrasound. CONCLUSION: EMI-137-guided MFGI and spectroscopy can be used to detect multifocal PTC. This may improve disease staging and treatment selection between hemi- and total thyroidectomy by better differentiation between unifocal and multifocal disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03470259.

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BACKGROUND: The impact of multifocality and bilaterality on recurrence in patients with low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is relevant when considering patients for a de-escalated treatment strategy: hemithyroidectomy instead of total thyroidectomy followed with or without radioactive iodine. This study aims to analyze contralateral tumor probability in patients treated for low-risk PTC and assess multifocality and bilaterality as possible predictors for recurrence. METHODS: Patients with low-risk PTC treated with total thyroidectomy followed with or without radioactive iodine in the Netherlands between 2005 and 2015 were included in this study. Patients were identified from the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and linked with the nationwide network and registry of Pathology in the Netherlands (PALGA). Contralateral tumor probability and recurrence were assessed. RESULTS: Of 791 included patients, 41.8% (331 of 791) had multifocal disease, with 68.9% (228 of 331) of those patients having bilateral disease. The contralateral tumor probability after hemithyroidectomy was 24.6% (150 of 610) for patients with unifocal disease and 43.1% (78 of 181) for patients with multifocal disease. We found a higher trend of recurrence in patients with bilateral disease, regardless of multifocality: in patients with contralateral disease after precompletion diagnosed unifocal disease 7.3% (11 of 150) had recurrent disease, and patients without contralateral disease after precompletion diagnosed multifocal disease 1.9% (2 per 103) had recurrence. Cox regression analysis showed that bilaterality (hazard ratio = 3.621, 95% confidence interval = 1.548 to 8.471) was the sole statistically significant risk factor for recurrence. CONCLUSION: Low recurrence rates are found in patients with either multifocal or bilateral disease with low-risk PTC. Bilaterality should be taken into account when considering these patients for de-escalated treatment strategy.

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PURPOSE: Patient-tailored management of thyroid nodules requires improved risk of malignancy stratification by accurate preoperative nodule assessment, aiming to personalize decisions concerning diagnostics and treatment. Here, we perform an exploratory pilot study to identify possible patterns on multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) for thyroid malignancy stratification. For the first time, we directly correlate MSOT images with histopathology data on a detailed level. METHODS: We use recently enhanced data processing and image reconstruction methods for MSOT to provide next-level image quality by means of improved spatial resolution and spectral contrast. We examine optoacoustic features in thyroid nodules associated with vascular patterns and correlate these directly with reference histopathology. RESULTS: Our methods show the ability to resolve blood vessels with diameters of 250 µm at depths of up to 2 cm. The vessel diameters derived on MSOT showed an excellent correlation (R2-score of 0.9426) with the vessel diameters on histopathology. Subsequently, we identify features of malignancy observable in MSOT, such as intranodular microvascularity and extrathyroidal extension verified by histopathology. Despite these promising features in selected patients, we could not determine statistically relevant differences between benign and malignant thyroid nodules based on mean oxygen saturation in thyroid nodules. Thus, we illustrate general imaging artifacts of the whole field of optoacoustic imaging that reduce image fidelity and distort spectral contrast, which impedes quantification of chromophore presence based on mean concentrations. CONCLUSION: We recommend examining optoacoustic features in addition to chromophore quantification to rank malignancy risk. We present optoacoustic images of thyroid nodules with the highest spatial resolution and spectral contrast to date, directly correlated to histopathology, pushing the clinical translation of MSOT.

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To study the occurrence of surgery-related muscle loss (SRML) and its association with in-hospital nutritional intake, we conducted a prospective observational cohort study including patients who underwent pancreatic surgery because of (suspected) malignant diseases. Muscle diameter was measured by using bedside ultrasound 1 day prior to surgery and 7 days postoperatively. Clinically relevant SRML was defined as ≥10% muscle diameter loss in minimally one arm and leg muscle within 1 week after surgery. Protein and caloric intake was measured by nutritional diaries. The primary endpoint included the number of patients with SRML. Secondary endpoints included the association between SRML and postoperative nutritional intake. Of the 63 included patients (60.3% men; age 67.1 ± 10.2 years), a total of 24 patients (38.1%) showed SRML. No differences were observed in severe complication rate or length of hospital stay between patients with and without SRML. During the first postoperative week, patients with clinically relevant SRML experienced more days without any nutritional intake compared with the non-SRML group (1 [0-4] versus 0 [0-1] days, p = 0.007). Significantly lower nutritional intake was found in the SRML group at postoperative days 2, 3 and 5 (p < 0.05). Since this study shows that SRML occurred in 38.1% of the patients and most of the patients failed to reach internationally set nutritional goals, it is suggested that more awareness concerning direct postoperative nutritional intake is needed in our surgical community.

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BACKGROUND: Previous interim data from a phase I study of AKS-452, a subunit vaccine comprising an Fc fusion of the respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein receptor binding domain (SP/RBD) emulsified in the water-in-oil adjuvant, Montanide™ ISA 720, suggested a good safety and immunogenicity profile in healthy adults. This phase I study was completed and two dosing regimens were further evaluated in this phase II study. METHODS: This phase II randomized, open-labelled, parallel group study was conducted at a single site in The Netherlands with 52 healthy adults (18 - 72 years) receiving AKS-452 subcutaneously at one 90 µg dose (cohort 1, 26 subjects) or two 45 µg doses 28 days apart (cohort 2, 26 subjects). Serum samples were collected at the first dose (day 0) and at days 28, 56, 90, and 180. Safety and immunogenicity endpoints were assessed, along with induction of IgG isotypes, cross-reactive immunity against viral variants, and IFN-γ T cell responses. RESULTS: All AEs were mild/moderate (grades 1 or 2), and no SAEs were attributable to AKS-452. Seroconversion rates reached 100% in both cohorts, although cohort 2 showed greater geometric mean IgG titers that were stable through day 180 and associated with enhanced potencies of SP/RBD-ACE2 binding inhibition and live virus neutralization. AKS-452-induced IgG titers strongly bound mutant SP/RBD from several SARS-CoV-2 variants (including Omicrons) that were predominantly of the favorable IgG1/3 isotype and IFN-γ-producing T cell phenotype. CONCLUSION: These favorable safety and immunogenicity profiles of the candidate vaccine as demonstrated in this phase II study are consistent with those of the phase I study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04681092) and suggest that a total of 90 µg received in 2 doses may offer a greater duration of cross-reactive neutralizing titers than when given in a single dose.

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BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle loss is often observed in intensive care patients. However, little is known about postoperative muscle loss, its associated risk factors, and its long-term consequences. The aim of this prospective observational study is to identify the incidence of and risk factors for surgery-related muscle loss (SRML) after major abdominal surgery, and to study the impact of SRML on fatigue and survival. METHODS: Patients undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery were included in the MUSCLE POWER STUDY. Muscle thickness was measured by ultrasound in three muscles bilaterally (biceps brachii, rectus femoris, and vastus intermedius). SRML was defined as a decline of 10 per cent or more in diameter in at least one arm and leg muscle within 1 week postoperatively. Postoperative physical activity and nutritional intake were assessed using motility devices and nutritional diaries. Fatigue was measured with questionnaires and 1-year survival was assessed with Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients (55 per cent male; mean (s.d.) age 64.3 (11.9) years) were included, 68 of whom patients (39 per cent) showed SRML. Preoperative weight loss and postoperative nutritional intake were statistically significantly associated with SRML in multivariable logistic regression analysis (P < 0.050). The combination of insufficient postoperative physical activity and nutritional intake had an odds ratio of 4.00 (95 per cent c.i. 1.03 to 15.47) of developing SRML (P = 0.045). No association with fatigue was observed. SRML was associated with decreased 1-year survival (hazard ratio 4.54, 95 per cent c.i. 1.42 to 14.58; P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: SRML occurred in 39 per cent of patients after major abdominal cancer surgery, and was associated with a decreased 1-year survival.

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