touchREVIEWS in Oncology & Haematology – Volume 19, Issue 2 – 2023

In the latest edition of touchREVIEWS in Oncology & Haematology, we are pleased to present a collection of articles that delve into the latest research and advancements in the field. From innovative therapies and genetic treatments to analyses of digital patient education tools, each article contributes to our evolving understanding of complex medical conditions, offering […]

Severe haemophilia A (HA), defined as baseline factor VIII (FVIII) levels of <1%, results in traumatic and spontaneous bleeding episodes, which occur primarily in the joints, in addition to the muscles, soft tissue and the central nervous system. Prophylactic treatment is needed to prevent complications such as joint arthropathy.1 Treatment for HA has historically been achieved […]

The management of children with diffuse midline gliomas (DMG) and other paediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGG) continue to present one of the most difficult challenges facing paediatric oncologists, characterized by poor patient outcomes.1 Standard of care therapy, which includes a maximal safe resection where possible, followed by focal radiation therapy, has remained unchanged for decades. This therapy, […]

Adult-type diffuse low-glade gliomas (LGGs) (World Health Organization [WHO] grade 2) represent 5–10% of all primary brain tumours.1 The median age of onset is in the third and fourth decades of life. Common clinical presentations include seizures, focal neurological deficits, and new-onset headaches.2 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrates T1 signal hypointensity and T2/fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensity […]

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and more than a fifth of those diagnosed will develop incurable metastatic disease.1 Molecular testing to investigate genetic and genomic variation is essential to identify the most effective treatment plans for patients. Treatment options available for patients with breast cancer are directed through the receptor status […]

Gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) adenocarcinomas are highly aggressive tumours with an overall poor prognosis, which is primarily attributable to the late stage of diagnosis resulting from nonspecific symptoms.1,2 While curative surgical resection is recommended for early-stage cases,3 advanced disease is treated with palliative intent, employing chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies.4 The backbone of first-line treatment in […]

The field of immuno-oncology has provided novel therapeutic agents that have led to significant improvements in patient outcomes across many tumour types. There have also been great efforts to incorporate immunotherapy (IO) into the treatment paradigms of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Across GI tumour types, enhanced efficacy has been seen when these agents are used in […]

Mutations of the β-globin gene (HBB) cause sickle cell disease and β-thalassaemia, collectively named the β-haemoglobinopathies. As mankind’s most common severe genetic diseases, where they are most prevalent, public health systems can be stressed.1–3 Asymptomatic heterozygous carriers are protected from severe P. falciparum infection. This has allowed the causative genes to reach polymorphic frequencies in some tropical […]

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Hispanic women in the USA. According to the American Cancer Society, as many as one in nine Hispanic women will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime and one in 49 Hispanic women will die from invasive breast cancer.1 Female breast cancer is also the most […]