Publications by authors named "Alexandra Foster"

Article Synopsis
  • A phase 1/1b study is being conducted to evaluate the safety and recommended dose of intrathecal (IT) nivolumab, given alongside intravenous (IV) nivolumab, for treating patients with melanoma and leptomeningeal disease (LMD).
  • The study, which involved 25 metastatic melanoma patients, found no dose-limiting toxicities, establishing the safe IT nivolumab dose at 50 mg administered with 240 mg of IV nivolumab every two weeks.
  • The median overall survival (OS) was 4.9 months, with 44% of patients alive at 26 weeks and 26% at 52 weeks, indicating potential effectiveness while
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In critically ill trauma patients, adequate nutrition is essential for the body's healing process. Currently, there is no clinical standard for initiating feeds after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement. We aimed to demonstrate that early enteral nutrition (EN) is as safe as delayed EN in patients who have undergone PEG tube insertion.

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Background: Malignant gliomas are deadly tumours with few therapeutic options. Although immunotherapy may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating gliomas, a significant barrier is the CD11b tumour-associated myeloid cells (TAMCs), a heterogeneous glioma infiltrate comprising up to 40% of a glioma's cellular mass that inhibits anti-tumour T-cell function and promotes tumour progression. A theranostic approach uses a single molecule for targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy (TRT) and diagnostic imaging; however, there are few reports of theranostics targeting the tumour microenvironment.

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Glioblastoma (GBM) remains an aggressive brain tumor with a high rate of mortality. Immune checkpoint (IC) molecules are expressed on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and promote T cell exhaustion upon binding to IC ligands expressed by the tumor cells. Interfering with IC pathways with immunotherapy has promoted reactivation of anti-tumor immunity and led to success in several malignancies.

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Background: Cancer treatment costs are increasing; the global cost of antineoplastic medications rose to $83.7 billion in 2015. As a result, it is imperative for institutions to implement cost-saving strategies and to maximize reimbursement for costly medications such as antineoplastic drugs.

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Limited data exist describing the outcomes of patients receiving continuous lidocaine infusions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of use of continuous lidocaine infusions for pain management at a community teaching hospital. A retrospective chart review was performed that included adult patients receiving continuous systemic lidocaine infusions for the treatment of pain.

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