0000000001253220
AUTHOR
Kneist W
Establishing PNB-qPCR for quantifying minimal ctDNA concentrations during tumour resection.
The analysis of blood plasma or serum as a non-invasive alternative to tissue biopsies is a much-pursued goal in cancer research. Various methods and approaches have been presented to determine a patient’s tumour status, chances of survival, and response to therapy from serum or plasma samples. We established PNB-qPCR (Pooled, Nested, WT-Blocking qPCR), a highly specific nested qPCR with various modifications to detect and quantify minute amounts of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) from very limited blood plasma samples. PNB-qPCR is a nested qPCR technique combining ARMS primers, blocking primers, LNA probes, and pooling of multiple first round products for sensitive quantification of the sev…
Randomized clinical trial of prophylactic transanal irrigation
Background Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is a frequent problem after rectal resection. Transanal irrigation (TAI) has been suggested as an effective treatment in patients who have developed LARS. This prospective RCT was undertaken to evaluate the effect of TAI as a prophylactic treatment to prevent symptoms of LARS. Methods Patients who had undergone ultralow rectal resection were randomized to start TAI on a daily basis, or to serve as a control with supportive therapy only after ileostomy closure. All patients were seen after 1 week, 1 month and 3 months, and the maximum number of defaecation episodes per day and night documented during follow‐up. Wexner score, LARS score and Sh…