Summary When treating limited stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), balancing treatment efficacy and toxicity is important. Toxicities after extended‐field radiotherapy are well documented. Investigators have aimed at reducing toxicity without compromising efficacy, mainly by using combined modality treatment (CMT), i.e. chemotherapy and limited‐field radiotherapy. In some clinical trials, radiotherapy has been omitted. We evaluated 364 patients with stage I‐IIA cHL treated between 1999 and 2005. Patients were treated with two or four cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD) according to presence of risk factors, followed by 30 Gy limited‐field (reduced compared to involved‐field) radiotherapy. After a median follow‐up of 16 years for survival, freedom from progression at five and ten years was 93% and overall survival at 5 and 10 years was 98% and 96%, respectively. Only two relapses, out of 27, occurred after more than 5 years. There was no excess mortality compared to the general population. Of the analysed subgroups, only patients with progression within five years showed significant excess mortality. The absence of excess mortality questions the concept of omitting radiotherapy after short‐term chemotherapy, a strategy that has been associated with an elevated risk of relapse but not yet with a proven reduced long‐term excess mortality.

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common problem among patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and with some other cancers. Here, we evaluated genetic and non-genetic potential risk factors for VTE among GBM patients. Materials and methods:A cohort of 139 patients treated with concomitant radiotherapy and temozolomide were included in the study. Next generation sequencing and genotyping approaches were applied to assess genetic risk factors in the haemostatic system. Clinical data including surgery, reoperation as well as blood group and patient information such as age and gender were available from patient records. Logistic regression analysis was performed to asses VTE risk.Results: In the study 47 patients (34%) were diagnosed for VTE during the course of their disease. When genetic and non-genetic potential risk factors were evaluated, only B blood group was found to be significantly associated with VTE incidence (odds ratio [OR]=6.91; confidence interval [CI]=2.19-24.14; P=0.001). In contrast, A and O blood groups did not correlate with VTE risk. Frontal lobe tumor location also seemed to slightly increase VTE risk compared to other brain sites (OR=3.14; CI=1.1-10.7) although the significance level was at borderline (P=0.05). Current study identified B blood group as the component in non-O blood groups that is responsible for increased VTE risk. Conclusion:In conclusion, these results suggest for the first time that B blood group is predictive for VTE incidence among patients with glioblastoma, information that may be potentially valuable when selecting GBM patients who are at risk for VTE for anticoagulant prophylaxis.

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Purpose Glioma patients have poor prognosis. The amount of detail of disease-related information patients wish to receive is not known. The aim of this study was to explore glioma patients’ experiences and preferences regarding receiving information on diagnosis and prognosis. Methods Semi-structured interviews were performed with patients diagnosed with glioma. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis without predefined categories by two independent coders. Results Ten women and 15 men, with newly diagnosed grade II–IV glioma, age 25–76 years, were interviewed. Participants’ experience on diagnosis communication was either indirect, meaning they found out their diagnosis unintentionally, e.g., from their electronic health record (EHR) instead of from their doctor, this causing anxiety and feelings of abandonment, insufficiently tailored: lacking in many aspects or individualised and compassionate. Participants generally wanted to know “the truth” about diagnosis and prognosis, but what they meant varied; some desired full honest information to allow for autonomous choices, others preferred general information without details, and some wanted no bad news at all, only positive information. Participants disclosed vulnerability after receiving their diagnosis, being cast into the unknown. They expressed a need for better everyday practical information to help create some control. Supportive staff could reduce participants’ distress. Conclusion There is a need to further develop and implement individually tailored information to glioma patients, both in consultations and patient-accessed EHR systems, which should have safe guards for sensitive information. Not all patients want to know it all, one size does not fit all.