Immunohistochemical Status Predicts Pathologic Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in HER2-Overexpressing Breast Cancers.

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression (HER2+) is defined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) as IHC3+ or IHC2+/ISH+. Response differences to neoadjuvant anti-HER2 therapy (NT) in IHC3+ versus IHC2+/ISH+ breast cancer patients are poorly characterized. We explored whether pathologic complete response (pCR) varies by HER2 IHC status.

Survival outcomes of adjuvant treatment in upstaged clinical T2N0 rectal cancer: are we underutilizing therapy?

Background: Patients with rectal cancer staged as clinical T2N0 (cT2N0) are recommended to undergo upfront resection. However, when the tumor is subsequently upstaged to pathologic T3N0 (pT3N0), there are no clear guidelines for adjuvant treatment. This study aimed to analyze national trends in adjuvant management and to identify differences in morbidity or survival.

Should Palpable Nodes Be Exclusionary in Patients Who Are Otherwise Candidates for ACOSOG Z0011-Type Trials?

Background: Palpable nodes were exclusionary in American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0011, while SINODAR-ONE excluded those with positive axillary nodes by palpation and ultrasound. To determine whether clinical nodal status should be exclusionary in those fulfilling pathologic criteria for ACOSOG Z0011 and similar trials, this study analyzed the accuracy and implications of clinical nodal positivity.

Methods: Patients ≥ 18 years old with cT1-T2, cN0-cN1, M0 breast cancer were identified in the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2019.

Nodal Surgery for Patients ≥ 70 Undergoing Mastectomy for DCIS? Choose Wisely.

Background: Routine sentinel lymphadenectomy (SLNB) for early-stage HR+/HER2- breast cancer in women ≥70 is discouraged by Choosing Wisely, but whether SLNB can be routinely omitted in women ≥70 with DCIS undergoing mastectomy is unclear. This study aims to evaluate rates of axillary surgery and nodal positivity (pN+) in this population to determine the impact of axillary surgery on treatment decisions.

Methods: Females ≥70 with DCIS undergoing mastectomy were identified from the National Cancer Database (2012-2020).

Should patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer and one or two positive sentinel nodes undergo axillary dissection to determine candidacy for adjuvant abemaciclib?

Background: The monarchE trial demonstrated improved outcomes with the use of adjuvant abemaciclib in patients with high-risk hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer defined as ≥4 positive lymph nodes (+LNs) or one to three +LNs with one or more additional high-risk features (HRFs). The proportion of patients with one or two positive sentinel lymph nodes (+SLNs) without HRFs who had ≥4 +LNs at the time of completion axillary lymph node dissection (cALND), and who therefore qualified for receipt of abemaciclib, was investigated.

Methods: Females with pathologically node-positive nonmetastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer stratified by the number of +SLNs and +LNs and the presence of one or more HRFs were identified from the National Cancer Database (2018-2019).

The Impact of an Electromagnetic Seed Localization Device Versus Wire Localization on Breast-Conserving Surgery: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

Background: For breast-conserving surgery (BCS), several alternatives to wire localization (WL) have been developed. The newest, electromagnetic seed localization (ESL), provides three-dimensional navigation using the electrosurgical tool. This study assessed operative times, specimen volumes, margin positivity, and re-excision rates for ESL and WL.

Do proton pump inhibitors affect the effectiveness of chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI), one of the most commonly prescribed medications, carry a myriad of adverse events. For colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, it still remains unclear whether the concurrent use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) would negatively affect chemotherapy. PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 10 June 2022, to identify relevant studies involving CRC patients receiving chemotherapy and reporting comparative survival outcomes between PPI users and non-users.

Benign Neurogenic Tumors.

Neurogenic tumors arise from cells of the nervous system. These tumors can be found anywhere along the distribution of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and are categorized based on cell of origin: ganglion cell, paraganglion cell, and nerve sheath cells. Ganglion cell-derived tumors include neuroblastomas, ganglioneuroblastomas, and ganglioneuromas.

Retroperitoneal Sarcomas.

Retroperitoneal sarcomas are rare tumors, representing only 15% of all sarcomas. The mainstay of therapy is surgical resection with negative margins. However, this is challenging because of the late presentation of many of these tumors and involvement with adjacent structures.

Surgical Options in the Treatment of Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the USA with the second highest mortality. Early detection with screening endoscopy, in addition to improvement in treatment modalities lead to higher overall survival rates. Treatment of localized colon cancer comprises of surgical resection with en bloc lymphadenectomy.

Reconstitution of B cell function in murine models of immunodeficiency.

Murine models of immunodeficiency were used to evaluate strategies that might allow B cell engraftment in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia. Mice with defects in Btk or mu heavy chain were given 2.5 x 10(6) bone marrow cells from wild-type congenic donors.

Clinical and molecular analysis of patients with defects in micro heavy chain gene.

Autosomal recessive disorders of B cell development are rare and heterogeneous. To determine the proportion of affected patients who have defects in the micro heavy chain (IGHM) gene, we used single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis to screen genomic DNA from 40 unrelated patients with early onset infections, profound hypogammaglobulinemia, and absent B cells. All of the patients were genotypically normal in BTK, the gene that underlies X-linked agammaglobulinemia.