In addition to the traditional press releases, Leipzig University provides information on current topics in the form of short news items. This time about a high-ranking clinical study, the results of which show how the chances of recovery from esophageal cancer can be improved, and an international prize for research into obesity.
Improved chances of recovery from oesophageal cancer
Half a million people worldwide are diagnosed with esophageal cancer every year. The disease can be cured by surgery if the cancer has not yet spread. The chances of recovery increase significantly if the operation is combined with additional therapies," says Florian Lordick, oncologist and Director of the University Cancer Center Leipzig and co-head of the current study. Various complementary treatment methods are available for this - but it has not yet been clear which one actually fights the cancer most effectively.
The clinical study, led by Bielefeld University, involved 25 institutions in Germany specializing in cancer. The study examined 438 patients with adenocarcinoma, the most common form of esophageal cancer in Germany. This type of cancer develops in the lower part of the oesophagus at the junction with the stomach and is caused by rising stomach acid. This irritates the oesophagus for years and eventually causes malignant cell changes, the basis for cancer growth in the oesophagus. Obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption increase the risk of esophageal cancer. The incidence of the disease has increased dramatically in Germany in recent decades.
Specifically, the ESOPEC study compared a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery ("CROSS") with intensified chemotherapy both before and after surgery ("FLOT"). Over more than four years, the number of people who suffered a relapse and the number who died from the disease were tracked. The results show that Patients who received FLOT chemotherapy before and after surgery had a better chance of survival than those who had only received CROSS chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery.
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International prize for obesity research
Dr. Rima Chakaroun, Clinician-Scientist at Leipzig University Medicine, has been awarded the New Investigator Award for her promising research on obesity. The grant is awarded by the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation and is endowed with 300,000 Danish kroner, around 40,000 euros.
Rima Chakaroun receives the award for her clinical research focusing on obesity, the microbiome, nutrition and gender-specific courses of obesity. The internal medicine specialist in endocrinology at Leipzig University Hospital contributes to multidisciplinary obesity programs that offer comprehensive treatment plans, helps coordinate a weight management initiative and works to support patients in making sustainable lifestyle changes.
"It is a great honor to receive this award. It underscores the commitment of clinician-scientists like myself who are working to destigmatize obesity and develop personalized, state-of-the-art treatments. Most importantly, it provides a valuable platform to engage in dialog with key players in obesity research across Europe and beyond," says Chakaroun.
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