Background Curcumin is the main active ingredient of the spice turmeric, investigated extensively for putative anticancer properties. Objectives This phase IIa open-labelled randomized controlled trial aimed to assess safety, efficacy, quality of life, neurotoxicity, curcuminoids, and C-X-C-motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) in patients receiving folinic acid/5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin chemotherapy (FOLFOX) compared with FOLFOX + 2 g oral curcumin/d (CUFOX). Methods Twenty-eight patients aged >18 y with a histological diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer were randomly assigned (1:2) to receive either FOLFOX or CUFOX. Safety was assessed by Common Toxicity Criteria-Adverse Event reporting, and efficacy via progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Quality of life and neurotoxicity were assessed using questionnaires (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 and Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity). Plasma curcuminoids were determined with liquid chromatography (LC) electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and CXCL1 by ELISA. Results Addition of daily oral curcumin to FOLFOX chemotherapy was safe and tolerable (primary outcome). Similar adverse event profiles were observed for both arms. In the intention-to-treat population, the HR for PFS was 0.57 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.36; P = 0.2) (median of 171 and 291 d for FOLFOX and CUFOX, respectively) and for OS was 0.34 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.82; P = 0.02) (median of 200 and 502 d for FOLFOX and CUFOX, respectively). There was no significant difference between arms for quality of life (P = 0.248) or neurotoxicity (P = 0.223). Curcumin glucuronide was detectable at concentrations >1.00 pmol/mL in 15 of 18 patients receiving CUFOX. Curcumin did not significantly alter CXCL1 over time (P = 0.712). Conclusion Curcumin is a safe and tolerable adjunct to FOLFOX chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01490996 and at www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu as EudraCT 2011-002289-19.

Despite the increasing incidence of endometrial cancer (EC) worldwide and the poor overall survival of patients who recur, no reliable biomarker exists for detecting and monitoring EC recurrence and progression during routine follow-up. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a sensitive method for monitoring cancer activity and stratifying patients that are likely to respond to therapy. As a pilot study, we investigated the utility of ctDNA for detecting and monitoring EC recurrence and progression in 13 patients, using targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) and personalized ctDNA assays. Using tNGS, at least one somatic mutation at a variant allele frequency (VAF) > 20% was detected in 69% (9/13) of patient tumors. The four patients with no detectable tumor mutations at >20% VAF were whole exome sequenced, with all four harboring mutations in genes not analyzed by tNGS. Analysis of matched and longitudinal plasma DNA revealed earlier detection of EC recurrence and progression and dynamic kinetics of ctDNA levels reflecting treatment response. We also detected acquired high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) in ctDNA from one patient whose primary tumor was MSI stable. Our study suggests that ctDNA analysis could become a useful biomarker for early detection and monitoring of EC recurrence. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore their potential implications for patient management.

Despite the increasing incidence of endometrial cancer (EC) worldwide and the poor overall survival of patients who recur, no reliable biomarker exists for detecting and monitoring EC recurrence and progression during routine follow-up. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a sensitive method for monitoring cancer activity and stratifying patients that are likely to respond to therapy. As a pilot study, we investigated the utility of ctDNA for detecting and monitoring EC recurrence and progression in 13 patients using targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) and personalized ctDNA assays. Using tNGS, at least 1 somatic mutation at a variant allele frequency (VAF) >20% was detected in 69% (9/13) of patient tumors. The four patients with no detectable tumor mutations at >20% VAF were whole exome sequenced, with all four harboring mutations in genes not analyzed by tNGS. Analysis of matched and longitudinal plasma DNA revealed earlier detection of EC recurrence and progression and dynamic kinetics of ctDNA levels reflecting treatment response. We also detected acquired high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) in ctDNA from one patient whose primary tumor was MSI stable. Our study suggests that ctDNA analysis, and in particular MSI analysis in ctDNA could become a useful biomarker for early detection and monitoring of EC recurrence and progression.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the UK. Novel therapeutic prevention strategies to inhibit the development and progression of CRC would be invaluable. Potential contenders include low toxicity agents such as dietary-derived agents or repurposed drugs. However, in vitro and in vivo models used in drug development often do not take into account the heterogeneity of tumours or the tumour microenvironment. This limits translation to a clinical setting. Our objectives were to develop an ex vivo method utilizing CRC and adenoma patient-derived explants (PDEs) which facilitates screening of drugs, assessment of toxicity, and efficacy. Our aims were to use a multiplexed immunofluorescence approach to demonstrate the viability of colorectal tissue PDEs, and the ability to assess immune cell composition and interactions. Using clinically achievable concentrations of curcumin, we show a correlation between curcumin-induced tumour and stromal apoptosis (P < .001) in adenomas and cancers; higher stromal content is associated with poorer outcomes. B cell (CD20+ve) and T cell (CD3+ve) density of immune cells within tumour regions in control samples correlated with curcumin-induced tumour apoptosis (P < .001 and P < .05, respectively), suggesting curcumin-induced apoptosis is potentially predicted by baseline measures of immune cells. A decrease in distance between T cells (CD3+ve) and cytokeratin+ve cells was observed, indicating movement of T cells (CD3+ve) towards the tumour margin (P < .001); this change is consistent with an immune environment associated with improved outcomes. Concurrently, an increase in distance between T cells (CD3+ve) and B cells (CD20+ve) was detected following curcumin treatment (P < .001), which may result in a less immunosuppressive tumour milieu. The colorectal tissue PDE model offers significant potential for simultaneously assessing multiple biomarkers in response to drug exposure allowing a greater understanding of mechanisms of action and efficacy in relevant target tissues, that maintain both their structural integrity and immune cell compartments.

More people in the UK are living with cancer than ever before. With an increasingly ethnically diverse population, greater emphasis must be placed on understanding factors influencing cancer outcomes. This review seeks to explore UK-specific variations in engagement with cancer services in minority ethnic groups and describe successful interventions. The authors wish to highlight that, despite improvement to engagement and education strategies, inequalities still persist and work to improve cancer outcomes across our communities still needs to be prioritised. There are many reasons why cancer healthcare inequities exist for minority communities, reported on a spectrum ranging from cultural beliefs and awareness, through to racism. Strategies that successfully enhanced engagement included language support; culturally-sensitive reminders; community-based health workers and targeted outreach. Focusing on the diverse city of Leicester the authors describe how healthcare providers, researchers and community champions have worked collectively, delivering targeted community-based strategies to improve awareness and access to cancer services.