Paisley

Guidelines for node marking: Sites are advised to follow the same standards used in the ongoing ATNEC breast cancer trial. At least three nodes should be removed to allow adequate assessment of nodal tumour burden. Timing: The node may be marked at the time of needle biopsy or at a separate visit. Technique: Node may be marked using any technique e.g. clip or coil (with or without skin mark), black dye, magnetic seeds or reflector. Black dye node marking: Inject 0.2-0.4 ml of black dye into the cortex of the node Do not inject around the node or into the needle tract If the marked node is not found or if multiple black nodes are identified the surgeon may stop once a total of four nodes have been removed Single vs multiple node marking: It is not necessary to mark more than one node, even if multiple nodes are biopsied or appear malignant. The most abnormal-appearing node should be marked.

Background: The presence of cancer in the axillary lymph nodes on needle biopsy in patients with early stage breast cancer before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been the determinant of the need for axillary treatment (in the form of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or axillary radiotherapy (ART)) after completion of NACT. Treatment to the axilla damages lymphatic drainage from the arm and patients can subsequently develop lymphoedema, restricted shoulder movement, pain, numbness, and other sensory problems. As more effective chemotherapy is now available that results in complete eradication of cancer in the axilla in around 40 to 70% of patients, extensive axillary treatment might no longer be necessary in patients with no evidence of residual nodal disease. Aim: To assess whether, omitting further axillary treatment (ALND and ART) for patients with early stage breast cancer and axillary nodal metastases on needle biopsy, who after NACT have no residual cancer in the lymph nodes on sentinel node biopsy, is non-inferior to axillary treatment in terms of disease free survival (DFS) and results in reduced risk of lymphoedema at 5 years. Methods: Study design: A pragmatic, phase 3, open, randomised, multicentre trial and embedded economic evaluation in which participants will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio. Study population: T1-3N1M0 breast cancer patients aged 18 years or older, with needle biopsy proven nodal metastases, who after NACT have no residual cancer in the lymph nodes on dual tracer sentinel node biopsy and removal of at least 3 lymph nodes (sentinel nodes and marked involved node). Intervention: All participants will receive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted treatment, endocrine therapy and radiotherapy to breast or chest wall, if indicated according to local guidelines. Patients in the intervention group will not receive further axillary treatment (ALND or ART), whereas those receiving standard care will receive axillary treatment (ALND or ART) as per local guidelines. Follow-up is annually for at least 5 years. Outcomes: The co-primary outcomes are disease free survival(DFS) and self-reported lymphoedema defined as 'yes' to the two questions participants will be asked - 'arm heaviness during the past year' and 'arm swelling now' from the Lymphoedema and Breast Cancer Questionnaire at 5 years. Secondary outcomes: arm function assessed by the QuickDASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) questionnaire; health related quality of life assessed using euroqol EQ-5D-5L; axillary recurrence free interval (ARFI); local recurrence; regional (nodal) recurrence; distant metastasis; overall survival; contralateral breast cancer; non-breast malignancy; costs; quality adjusted life years (QALYs) and cost-effectiveness. Sample size: A sample size of 1900 patients would have the ability to demonstrate a 3.5% non-inferiority margin with a 5% 1-sided significance level and 85% power, allowing for 7% non-collection of primary outcome data assuming a 90% 5-year disease free survival rate in the control arm. It would also be able to detect at least a 5% difference in proportion of patients with lymphoedema with 90% power, a 5% 2-sided significance level and allowing for 25% non-collection of primary outcome data over 5 years. Analysis plan: All analyses will be carried out on an intention-to-treat basis to preserve randomisation, avoid bias from exclusions and preserve statistical power. Time to event outcomes, including disease free survival and axillary recurrence free interval, will be assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using Cox proportional hazards models. The proportion of patients experiencing lymphoedema at 5 years will be compared across trial arms using a chi-squared test and a logistic regression model used to adjust for stratification variables. Arm morbidity and health related quality of life will be scored using the appropriate manuals and assessed using a longitudinal mixed model regression analysis if model assumptions valid or a standardised area-under-the-curve analysis. For economic evaluation, incremental cost per QALY gained at 5 years will be estimated. Timelines for delivery: Total project duration is 120 months based on 6 months for set up; 60 months recruitment period (including an 18 months internal pilot phase); and 54 months for follow up, analysis, writing up and dissemination.

This is a comparative research study to research, optimise and develop new state of the art diagnostic biomarkers on the LumiraDx Platform that will radically enhance clinicians and patients ability to monitor chronic health conditions which improve outcomes at the point of care and that are comparable to gold standard reference methods. The LumiraDx POC Platform consists of an in vitro diagnostic instrument, used with single use test strips for different disease biomarkers. This next generation point of care device is intended to allow multiple tests to be performed on the same platform for blood, plasma, serum, swab, and urine samples. Research activities will be completed on blood samples collected from a maximum of 20,000 patients to assess the performance of the new biomarkers undergoing research. Patients will include those presenting at a medical unit (including but not limited to A\&E departments, hospital wards, or out-patient clinics) to their care team, in order to obtain a range of values for research of the new biomarkers on the LumiraDx system. Participants will include those who are expected to have (but are not limited to) biomarkers for diseases areas including embolism, infection or inflammation, cardiovascular, and renal cohorts. Each patient must give appropriate written informed consent and satisfy all the inclusion/exclusion criteria prior to any study procedures. Patient participation in this study will take a maximum of 45 minutes of the patient's time. Patients presenting for a subsequent clinic visit or admission may be approached to participate in the study again, a maximum of 24mL of venous whole blood and up to 6 capillary fingersticks (obtained with a high flow lancet) may be collected from each patient within a three month period. Where possible, study samples should be taken at the same time as any standard of care blood draws or from patients with a cannula in-situ, a separate study venipuncture is not a requirement for this protocol. Study samples will be used for research, evaluation, optimisation and development activities into new biomarkers on the LumiraDx Platform in comparison with the gold standard reference method for the disease area to ensure comparable performance. Samples may also be used for troubleshooting and calibrating LumiraDx assays developed. Sample collection will be separated into 2 phases depending upon the research needs. Patients can participate in both phases: Phase 1: Only venous blood samples will be drawn by the HCP. These samples will be tested on the LumiraDx System and/or device(s) under development and also tested on the appropriate reference method for comparison. This testing may occur at the clinical site and/or at LumiraDx UK Ltd. Phase 2: Venous blood samples and capillary fingerstick samples will be collected by the HCP. These samples may be tested on the LumiraDx Platform and also tested on the appropriate reference method for comparison. The fingerstick samples will be tested on the LumiraDx device. The processing of samples may occur at the clinical site and/or at LumiraDX UK Ltd. The samples will be identified by patient identification number, anonymising the patient's identifiable information. These blood samples will be sent to LumiraDx UK Ltd for storage and future testing. No genetic testing will be carried out on samples. Samples may also be used to research, optimise, develop, modify and calibrate products and platforms for measuring biomarkers including, but not limited to, Troponin, NT-pro BNP, BNP, CK-MB, D-Dimer, NGAL, Cystatin C, Myoglobin, Galectin-3, CRP, AST, ALT, Lipids, Coagulation, Prolactin, and Beta-hCG. Patients who reattend or are admitted to the medical unit (including but not limited to A\&E departments, hospital wards or out-patient clinics) may be asked for further sampling. A total of 24mL and 6 capillary fingersticks (obtained using high flow lancets) will not be exceeded over the three month period from consent, patients may opt out of further contact. Any patient reattending three months post consent will be treated as a new patient. Data will be recorded on the Case Report Forms. The patient demographics data collected may include: age; sex; ethnicity, pregnancy status, NYHA classification, current medications at time of blood collection including their indications, significant medical history, relevant local blood test results, reason(s) for presenting, and confirmed diagnosis.

Sepsis results from overwhelming reactions to microbial infections where the immune system initiates dysregulated responses that lead to remote organ dysfunction, shock and ultimately death. Sepsis remains a significant global issue - as well as direct mortality, survivors suffer long term reductions in patient centred outcomes, with reduced quality of life and functional status. Patients with hypotension and organ hypoperfusion as a result of sepsis have poorer outcomes by dysregulated inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, immune suppression, and organ dysfunction. Current guidelines highlight the importance of early fluid resuscitation, but the association of early fluid therapy with improved outcomes is unclear. In the resuscitation phase, current practice is to give intravenous (IV) fluid and intermittent vasopressor boluses if required, before, for some patients, continuous vasopressor infusion via a central venous line in Intensive Care (ICU). An alternative, early continuous peripheral vasopressor infusion (PVI) is not routine practice in the UK. Current practice in the UK is guided by NICE Sepsis guidance and the international Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) consensus recommendations. Both specify intravenous fluid administration as a central tenet of early resuscitation of patients with septic shock, with intravenous vasopressor administration recommended after intravenous fluid resuscitation. NICE recommend boluses of 500ml of crystalloid and "refer to critical care for review of management including need for central venous access and initiation of vasopressors". SSC recommend 30ml/kg crystalloid in first hour, followed by vasopressors to maintain MAP\>65. The current NICE fluid resuscitation guideline, November 2020, continues to emphasise 500ml boluses of crystalloid as usual care. A recent international survey of 100 critical care and EM physicians regarding intravenous fluid resuscitation practice, confirmed that an initial bolus of 1000ml of crystalloid, followed by 500ml boluses of crystalloid remained the most common management strategy for the initial treatment of septic shock. This persisted despite the lack of benefit demonstrated in three landmark trials of protocolised sepsis management. In recent years, there has been increasing acceptance of peripheral administration of norepinephrine, based on evidence of safety and efficacy. The Intensive Care Society published guidance on peripheral vasopressor infusion in November 2020. We have recently conducted a survey amongst ED and ICU clinicians in the UK regarding attitudes and current practice related to the use of intravenous peripheral vasopressors. Eighty two respondents provided the following answers 1. Experience of use of any intravenous vasopressor in ED was high (81%); 2. Exclusive PVI made up 23% of all vasopressor use in ED; 3. Norepinephrine (norepinephrine) was the most common vasopressor (54%); 4. Barriers to PVI were local protocols and an appropriate level of care in the destination ward for a patient on vasopressor infusion.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) that is of sufficient severity to require admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with substantial mortality. Patients with pneumonia who are being treated in an ICU will receive therapy that consists of many different treatments, as many as 20 or 30. These treatments act together to treat both the infection and its effects on the body. When treating a patient, doctors choose from many different treatments, most of which are known or believed to be safe and effective. However, doctors don't always know which treatment option is the better one, as individuals or groups of individuals may respond differently. This study aims to help doctors understand which treatments work best. This clinical study has been designed in a way that allows the information from patients already in the study to help new patients joining the study. Most studies aren't able to do that. REMAP-CAP has been designed to: * Evaluate multiple treatment strategies, at the same time, in the same patient. * Reach platform conclusions when sufficient data is accrued, rather than when a pre-specified sample size is reached * Utilise data that is already accrued to increase the likelihood that patients within the trial are randomised to treatments that are more likely to be beneficial * New questions can be substituted into the trial as initial questions are answered, meaning that the trial can be perpetual or open-ended * Interactions between interventions in different domains can be evaluated It is reasonable to presume that any pandemic respiratory infection of major significance to public health will manifest as life-threatening respiratory infection including Severe Acute Respiratory illness and severe Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) with concomitant admission to hospital, and for some patients, admission to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Previous pandemics and more localized outbreaks of respiratory emerging infections have resulted in severe CAP and ICU admission. Previous pandemics and outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases have outlined the urgent need for evidence, preferably from Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), to guide best treatment. However, there are substantial challenges associated with being able to organize such trials when the time of onset of a pandemic and its exact nature are unpredictable. As an adaptive platform trial that enrolls patients during the interpandemic period, REMAP-CAP is ideally positioned to adapt, in the event of a respiratory pandemic, to evaluate existing treatments as well as novel approaches.

This is a major pragmatic multi-centre prospective parallel group open RCT. It will be conducted in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, funding is being sought in several countries to expand recruitment internationally. The study is in 2 phases: the vanguard and main phase. Therefore the study will run an internal pilot to prove recruitment of the relevant number of participants during the initial 2 years. The over-arching aim is to determine whether early AVR results in better clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness than a strategy of expectant management in asymptomatic patients with severe AS. The primary hypothesis is that early AVR or TAVI in asymptomatic patients with severe AS will result in a reduction in the composite primary outcome of cardiovascular (CV) death and hospitalisation for heart failure (HHF) when compared to the conventional approach of expectant management. Potential participants will be identified by a member of the clinical care team following diagnosis with severe AS. Participants will be screened for eligibility using pre-specified inclusion/exclusion criteria. Eligible participants will be provided with a written version of the participant information sheet detailing the exact nature of the study, what it will involve for the participant and any risks involved with taking part. Participants will be given at least 24 hours to consider the information and decide whether or not to take part. The study will randomise up to 2844 patients with severe asymptomatic AS to either allocated expectant management OR aortic valve replacement. Participants randomised to AVR will be placed on a waiting list with the aim that surgery will be performed within 3 months, dependent on local hospitals' waiting lists. Participants randomised to AVR will undergo routine tests/procedures which may include coronary angiography. If the outcome of the coronary angiography reveals coronary heart disease, the decision to perform CABG or PCI will be made by the responsible cardiac surgeon and cardiologist, in consultation with the patient. All analyses will be undertaken using the principles of intention-to-treat with participants analysed in the group they were randomised regardless of treatment received. EASY-AS is collaborating with the EVoLVeD study (Early Valve Replacement guided by Biomarkers of Left Ventricular Decompensation in Asymptomatic Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis, Clinical Trials.gov NCT03094143). In centres where both EASY-AS and EVoLVeD are running, participants in EASY-AS will be offered the opportunity to take part in EVoLVeD. Funding has been granted by the British Heart Foundation (UK), Medical Research Future Fund (Aus) and Heart Foundation (NZ). The UK sponsor is the University of Leicester. Additional support and resources for the study will be provided by the participating Trusts and their corresponding Clinical Research Networks in the UK. The central co-ordination centre is the University of Leicester Clinical Trials Unit.

Study design: Randomised, controlled, multi-centre, open-label, phase III trial (with a single intervention registration phase). Primary Objectives The primary objectives of this study are to determine: * The impact on Depth of Response (DoR: less than VGPR versus VGPR or better) when salvage ASCT conditioning is augmented by the addition of a proteasome inhibitor * The influence of a consolidation and maintenance strategy on the Durability of Response (DuR:PFS) Secondary objectives The secondary objectives of this study are to determine: * Overall survival * Time to disease progression * The overall response rate following ixazomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (ITD) re-induction * Time to next treatment * Progression-free survival 2 (PFS2) * Duration of response * Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) negative rate post re-induction, post-ASCT and conversion after ITD consolidation * Engraftment kinetics * Toxicity and safety * Quality of life (QoL) Participant population (refer to protocol section 9 for a full list of eligibility criteria). * Relapsed MM (with measurable disease by IMWG criteria) previously treated with ASCT * First progressive disease (PD) at least 12 months since first ASCT, requiring therapy. * ECOG Performance Status 0-2 * Aged at least 18 years * Adequate full blood count and renal, hepatobiliary, pulmonary and cardiac function * Written informed consent Interventions: All participants will be registered at trial entry and will receive re-induction therapy with 4-6, 28-day cycles of ixazomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone (ITD), in order to reach maximum response. Participants who achieve at least stable disease (SD) will be randomised on a 1:1 basis to receive either conventional ASCT (ASCTCon), using melphalan, or augmented ASCT (ASCTAug), using melphalan with ixazomib. All participants achieving or maintaining a minimal response (MR) or better following trial ASCT will undergo a second randomisation to consolidation and maintenance or no further treatment. Participants randomised to consolidation and maintenance will receive treatment as follows: consolidation with 2 cycles of ITD and maintenance with ixazomib until disease progression. Number of participants: 406 participants will be registered into the trial to allow 284 participants to be randomised at the first randomisation (R1) and 248 participants to be randomised at the second randomisation (R2).