The paclitaxel response metagene shows promise as a paclitaxel-specific predictor of pCR in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. The metagene is suitable for development into a reverse transcription-PCR assay, for which clinically relevant thresholds could be established in randomised clinical trials. These results highlight the potential for functional genomics to accelerate development of drug-specific predictive biomarkers without the need for training clinical trial cohorts.

Although every SSP identifies molecular subtypes with similar survival, they do not reliably assign the same patients to the same molecular subtypes. For molecular subtype classification to be incorporated into routine clinical practice and treatment decision making, stringent standardisation of methodologies and definitions for identification of breast cancer molecular subtypes is needed.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeted therapy, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, has become the standard of care in several solid tumours, including colorectal cancer, renal-cell carcinoma, breast cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, and glioblastoma. VEGF is crucial in the process of angiogenesis and wound healing and, thus, its inhibition has the potential to affect wound healing in patients undergoing surgery. In this review, we summarise the data available on the use of VEGF-targeted therapies, and their effect on perioperative wound complications.

PFS and response rates were greater than those previously observed with gemcitabine and capecitabine or sorafenib monotherapy in patients with metastatic RCC. Adverse events were manageable in most patients. These findings provide preliminary confirmation of the synergistic activity of the chemo-switch concept seen in preclinical studies, and merit further exploration.

Annually, more than 50 000 cancer diagnoses are made in the USA in patients under the age of 35 years. Despite this staggering statistic, medical advancements have substantially improved survival rates. Thus, for both male and female patients with cancer, quality-of-life issues, such as fertility preservation and parenthood, have become an essential component of treatment. Unfortunately, many of the treatments to eradicate malignant processes can also compromise reproductive function. In these cases, fertility preservation should be discussed and initiated with early treatment planning, to allow the best chance for future parenthood, when appropriate.

Progress in complex disorders requires clear thinking facilitated by clear language.1 Radiation is used to treat pelvic cancer more than any other tumour site. Of the toxic effects experienced after pelvic irradiation, gastrointestinal symptoms have the greatest effect on quality of life.2 50% of patients say that quality of life is affected by gastrointestinal symptoms and 20–40% rate the effect as moderate or severe.3,4 Some argue that modern therapy techniques will improve outcomes. However, chemoradiation enhances survival but also increases the risk of severe toxicity.

More than 9 years after transplantation, overall and leukaemia-free survival remain similar in patients who underwent BMT and PBPCT. Differences in the incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease and the duration of immunosuppression exist, but do not affect survival, general health status, or late events.

Fine-needle biopsy (FNB) is a minimally invasive and accurate means of diagnosing metastatic melanoma. The judicious use of FNB, with a multidisciplinary approach involving pathologists, radiologists, treating clinicians, and other health professionals, can achieve efficient and cost-effective management of patients with melanoma who are suspected of having metastatic disease. The FNB procedure is well-tolerated and has the potential to readily provide fresh tumour material for the performance of molecular, genetic, and proteomic analyses.

While phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas are generally seen as rare tumours, they have engendered much excitement in endocrine and oncological circles for the past decade for two main reasons: in the first place, it has become apparent that a very significant minority of patients harbouring such tumours show germline mutations of various tumour-suppressor genes or oncogenes. This is particularly the case where the disease occurs in young individuals, in those with a family history of the disease, or where there are multiple tumours or other syndromic elements.

SDHAF2 mutations do not have an important role in phaeochromocytoma and are rare in head and neck paraganglioma. Identification of a second family with the Gly78Arg mutation suggests that this is a crucial residue for the function of SDHAF2. We conclude that SDHAF2 mutation analysis is justified in very young patients with isolated head and neck paraganglioma without mutations in SDHD, SDHC, or SDHB, and in individuals with familial antecedents who are negative for mutations in all other risk genes.