Publications by authors named "Aa Adjei"
Background: Based on preclinical data showing addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors to gemcitabine was synergistic, ribociclib was evaluated in combination with gemcitabine to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose limiting toxicities (DLT).
Methods: In this single arm multicohort phase I trial, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of ribociclib plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients received gemcitabine intravenously on days 1 and 8 followed by ribociclib days 8-14, with treatment repeated every 3 weeks.
Article Synopsis
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the HBB gene, resulting in abnormal hemoglobin S that deforms red blood cells, leading to severe health complications such as pain, anemia, and organ damage.
- The disease is prevalent, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 7.5 million people are affected, often facing underdiagnosis and poor management, particularly in children.
- This study in Ghana aims to identify specific circulating biomarkers in pediatric SCD patients that could help predict disease outcomes and improve patient care by assessing various serum markers associated with inflammation and neuronal injury.
Article Synopsis
- The study highlights that body weight and sex can significantly impact how anticancer drugs are processed in the body, yet the extent of these differences remains unclear.
- A systematic review of 112 studies identified significant pharmacokinetic (PK) differences for 14 out of 99 examined anticancer agents, although no studies currently assess how these differences impact drug efficacy or safety.
- The findings suggest that developing sex-specific dosing strategies for anticancer drugs could improve their risk-benefit ratio for patients.
Article Synopsis
- Men of African descent experience the highest rates of prostate cancer, but the genetic factors behind this have not been thoroughly explored.
- Researchers analyzed genetic data from nearly 4,000 prostate cancer cases and over 3,500 controls across several African countries to identify specific genetic associations related to the disease.
- The study found 15 significant genetic associations, including four new ones, highlighting that genetic variation in prostate cancer is influenced by unique African alleles, suggesting that more research in diverse populations is crucial for understanding cancer genetics.
Purpose: Prostate cancer disproportionately affects men of African descent, yet their representation in tissue-based studies is limited. This multinational, multicenter pilot study aims to establish the groundwork for collaborative research on prostate cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods: The Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate network formed a pathologist working group representing eight institutions in five African countries.
Background: Based on preclinical data showing addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors to gemcitabine is synergistic, ribociclib was evaluated in combination with gemcitabine to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose limiting toxicities (DLT).
Methods: In this single arm multicohort phase I trial, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of Ribociclib plus Gemcitabine in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients received Gemcitabine intravenously on days 1 and 8 followed by Ribociclib days 8-14, with treatment repeated every 3 weeks.
Background: Bimiralisib is a pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitor demonstrating antitumor efficacy in preclinical models. The objectives of this study were to identify a maximum tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics (PK), a dosing schedule, and adverse events (AEs) in patients with advanced solid tumors.
Patients And Methods: Patients received oral bimiralisib to determine the MTD of one continuous (once daily) and two intermittent schedules (A: Days 1, 2 weekly; B: Days 1, 4 weekly) until progression or unacceptable AEs occurred.
Article Synopsis
- Androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, is largely influenced by genetics, but most research has focused on individuals of European descent.
- A study of 2,136 men from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa found that genetic predictions for baldness based on European data were less accurate for African populations.
- The first African genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 266 genetic associations with baldness, showing that most genetic influences are autosomal and that evolutionary history affects genetic predictions across different ancestries.
Navitoclax (ABT-263) is an oral BCL2 homology-3 mimetic that binds with high affinity to pro-survival BCL2 proteins, resulting in apoptosis. Sorafenib, an oral multi kinase inhibitor also promotes apoptosis and inhibits tumor angiogenesis. The efficacy of either agent alone is limited; however, preclinical studies demonstrate synergy with the combination of navitoclax and sorafenib.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBurkitt lymphoma (BL) is responsible for many childhood cancers in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is linked to recurrent or chronic infection by Epstein-Barr virus or Plasmodium falciparum. However, whether human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms, which regulate immune response, are associated with BL has not been well investigated, which limits our understanding of BL etiology. Here we investigate this association among 4,645 children aged 0-15 years, 800 with BL, enrolled in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- In high-income countries, mosaic chromosomal changes in blood cells are linked to a higher risk of serious health issues, including blood cancers.
- A study in Ghana analyzed 931 children with Burkitt lymphoma, along with a control group of 3822 Burkitt-free kids and 674 cancer-free men, revealing different rates of chromosomal alterations between these groups.
- The findings suggest that certain chromosomal changes are more prevalent in children with Burkitt lymphoma and introduce the need for further research on chromosomal alterations in sub-Saharan African populations.
Background: Despite recent approval of several new agents, relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains challenging to treat. Sapanisertib (MLN0128/TAK-228) is an oral TORC1/2 inhibitor that exhibited preclinical activity against ALL.
Methods: We conducted a single-arm multi-center Phase II study of sapanisertib monotherapy (3 mg orally daily of the milled formulation for 21 days every 28 days) in patients with ALL through the Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (NCI-9775).
Article Synopsis
- A recent study analyzed genetic data from over 156,000 prostate cancer cases and 788,000 controls from diverse populations, significantly increasing the representation of non-European participants.
- Researchers identified 187 new genetic risk variants for prostate cancer, bringing the total to 451, enhancing understanding of genetic factors across different ancestries.
- The developed genetic risk score (GRS) showed varying risk levels for prostate cancer among different ancestry groups, highlighting its potential for better risk assessment, especially in men of African descent.
Introduction: Preclinical evaluation of bintrafusp alfa (BA) combined with radiotherapy revealed greater antitumor effects than BA or radiotherapy alone. In a phase 1 study, BA exhibited encouraging clinical activity in patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC who had received previous treatment.
Methods: This multicenter, double-blind, controlled phase 2 study (NCT03840902) evaluated the safety and efficacy of BA with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) followed by BA (BA group) versus placebo with cCRT followed by durvalumab (durvalumab group) in patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC.
Introduction: Bintrafusp alfa, a first-in-class bifunctional fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of TGF-βRII (a TGF-β "trap") fused to a human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody blocking programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), has exhibited clinical activity in a phase 1 expansion cohort of patients with PD-L1-high advanced NSCLC.
Methods: This adaptive phase 3 trial (NCT03631706) compared the efficacy and safety of bintrafusp alfa versus pembrolizumab as first-line treatment in patients with PD-L1-high advanced NSCLC. Primary end points were progression-free survival according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.
The association between fatty acids and prostate cancer remains poorly explored in African-descent populations. Here, we analyze 24 circulating fatty acids in 2934 men, including 1431 prostate cancer cases and 1503 population controls from Ghana and the United States, using CLIA-certified mass spectrometry-based assays. We investigate their associations with population groups (Ghanaian, African American, European American men), lifestyle factors, the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genetic locus, and prostate cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The objectives of this study were to conduct a randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a previsit glaucoma video/question prompt list intervention, and to examine the impact on how often providers educate Black patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medication topics during visits.
Design: A randomized controlled trial of a glaucoma question prompt list/video intervention.
Participants: Black patients with a diagnosis of glaucoma who are taking 1 or more glaucoma medications and report being nonadherent.
Monoclonal antibody treatment initially heralded an era of molecularly targeted therapy in oncology and is now widely applied in modulating anti-cancer immunity by targeting programmed cell receptors (PD-1, PD-L1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and, more recently, lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3). Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) recently proved to be a valid approach to inducing anti-cancer immunity by directly modifying the host's immune cells. However, such cell-based therapy requires extensive resources such as leukapheresis, ex vivo modification and expansion of cytotoxic T-cells and current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) laboratories and presents significant logistical challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalaria affects a significant portion of the global population, with 247 million cases in 2021, primarily in Africa. However, certain hemoglobinopathies, such as sickle cell trait (SCT), have been linked to lower mortality rates in malaria patients. Hemoglobin (Hb) mutations, including HbS and HbC, can cause sickle cell disease (SCD) when both alleles are inherited (HbSS and HbSC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The objectives of this study were to conduct a randomized, controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a previsit glaucoma video/question prompt list intervention to increase Black patient question-asking and provider education about glaucoma and glaucoma medications during visits.
Design: A randomized, controlled trial of a glaucoma question prompt list/video intervention.
Participants: Black patients with a glaucoma diagnosis who were currently taking 1 or more glaucoma medications and reported being nonadherent.
Background: Genetic factors play an important role in prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility.
Objective: To discover common genetic variants contributing to the risk of PCa in men of African ancestry.
Design, Setting, And Participants: We conducted a meta-analysis of ten genome-wide association studies consisting of 19378 cases and 61620 controls of African ancestry.