Worldwide Prevalence of Hereditary Angioedema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease caused by dysfunction or lack of the C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) protein. The true prevalence of HAE, and whether this prevalence differs across regions, is uncertain.

Methods: To estimate the prevalence of HAE worldwide, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed.

The Undetermined Significance of Screening for Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance.

The identification of premalignant lesions in solid tumors such as colorectal and cervical cancer has led to the development of highly effective population-wide screening programs for these malignancies. Although precursor clinical states are not well-established for most hematologic malignancies, multiple myeloma is a notable exception. Virtually all patients with multiple myeloma first develop monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), an asymptomatic but easily detectable condition.

The association of HIV status with triple-negative breast cancer in patients with breast cancer in South Africa: a cross-sectional analysis of case-only data from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed among women in South Africa, with the aggressive triple-negative subtype comprising approximately 15% of breast cancers in this population. South Africa has the largest population of people with HIV in the world. This study aims to evaluate the association between HIV status and the proportion of patients with breast cancer with the triple-negative subtype.

Highlights of ASCO 2024.

Highlights from the ASCO annual meeting are presented.

The statistical significance revolution.

Statistical significance has long relied on the criterion of P less than or equal to .05. Although this threshold has generally functioned well, it has engendered some negative practices to circumvent it and been criticized as too inflexible.

Site-specific patterns of early-stage cancer diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions in cancer care. We hypothesized that the greatest disruptions in diagnosis occurred in screen-detected cancers. We identified patients (≥18 years of age) with newly diagnosed cancer from 2019 to 2020 in the US National Cancer Database and calculated the change in proportion of early-stage to late-stage cancers using a weighted linear regression.

Patient's attitudes and perceptions around attending oncology consultations following surgery for colorectal cancer: A qualitative study.

The oncology consultation following surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC) is usually the first step in the receipt of chemotherapy. Non-compliance with this consultation results in non-receipt of recommended chemotherapy, when appropriate, and worse clinical outcomes. This study sought to explore South African patients' attitudes and perceptions around attending scheduled oncology consultations following their CRC surgery.

Cancer genetic mutation prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of existing data.

Background: Cancer represents a leading cause of death worldwide. Germline mutations in several genes increase the risk of developing several cancers, including cancers of the breast, ovary, pancreas, colorectum, and melanoma. An understanding of the population prevalence of pathogenic germline variants can be helpful in the design of public health interventions, such as genetic testing, which has downstream implications for cancer screening, prevention, and treatment.

Biochemical progression free and overall survival among Black men with stage IV prostate cancer in South Africa: Results from a prospective cohort study.

Background: Men of African descent are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer (PCa), and many have metastatic disease at presentation. In South Africa (SA), androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the first-line treatment for stage IV PCa.

Objective: To identify predictors of overall survival (OS) in Black South African men with stage IV PCa treated with ADT.

MGMT promoter methylation in 1p19q-intact gliomas.

Objective: Standard-of-care for 1p19q-intact anaplastic gliomas is defined by the international randomized phase III CATNON trial, which found an overall survival (OS) benefit for adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) when added to radiotherapy. Paradoxically, TMZ did not appear to benefit patients with IDH-wildtype gliomas, regardless of MGMT promoter status. The authors concluded that well-powered prospective study on the clinical efficacy of TMZ for patients with IDH-wildtype anaplastic gliomas (meeting criteria for glioblastoma) is warranted.

International Variability in the Epidemiology, Management, and Outcomes of CKD and ESKD: A Systematic Review.

Key Points: There is dramatic global variability in the prevalence of ESKD. Higher health care spending in each country is associated with increased delivery of care for ESKD.

Background: Approaches to treating ESKD may vary internationally on the basis of the availability of care and other factors.

MGMT promoter methylation in 1p19q-intact gliomas.

Objective: Standard-of-care for 1p19q-intact anaplastic gliomas is defined by the international randomized phase III CATNON trial, which found an overall survival (OS) benefit for adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) when added to radiotherapy. Paradoxically, TMZ did not appear to benefit patients with IDH-wildtype gliomas, regardless of promoter status. The authors concluded that well-powered prospective study on the clinical efficacy of TMZ for patients with IDH-wildtype anaplastic gliomas (meeting criteria for glioblastoma) is warranted.

Heterogeneous genetic architectures and evolutionary genomics of prostate cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Men of African descent have the highest prostate cancer (CaP) incidence and mortality rates, yet the genetic basis of CaP in African men has been understudied. We used genomic data from 3,963 CaP cases and 3,509 controls recruited in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda, to infer ancestry-specific genetic architectures and fine-mapped disease associations. Fifteen independent associations at 8q24.

FGFR2 genetic variants in women with breast cancer.

Black African populations are more genetically diverse than others, but genetic variants have been studied primarily in European populations. The present study examined the association of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2, associated with breast cancer in non‑African populations, with breast cancer in Black, southern African women. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood samples of 1,001 patients with breast cancer and 1,006 controls (without breast cancer), and the rs2981582, rs35054928, rs2981578, and rs11200014 polymorphisms were analyzed using allele‑specific Kompetitive allele‑specific PCR™, and the χ or Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the genotype frequencies.

Prognostic and therapeutic impact of the KRAS G12C mutation in colorectal cancer.

G12C mutations are critical in the pathogenesis of multiple cancer types, including non-small cell lung (NSCLC), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and colorectal (CRC) cancers. As such, they have increasingly become a target of novel therapies in the management of these malignancies. However, the therapeutic success of KRAS G12C inhibitors to date has been far more limited in CRC and PDAC than NSCLC.

Early Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Hypothesis.

The rising rates of early onset colorectal cancer are perplexing. This commentary discusses what may be causing the increase.

Adjuvant Capecitabine for Biliary Cancer and the Importance of Looking Beyond P-Values.

This article continues the discussion on the results of the BILCAP trial and advocates for careful examination and consideration of data in its entirety to inform a clinician’s decision.