Effects of levcromakalim in patients with migraine aura without headache: An experimental study.

Background/hypothesis: Levcromakalim has previously been shown to induce attacks of migraine with aura in certain individuals. In this study, we tested the migraine-inducing effect of levcromakalim in a cohort of participants with migraine aura without headache.

Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study, eight adult participants with migraine with aura received intravenous infusions of levcromakalim and saline.

Clinical features of migraine with aura: a REFORM study.

Background: About one-third of persons with migraine experience transient neurologic symptoms, referred to as aura. Despite its widespread prevalence, comprehensive clinical descriptions of migraine with aura remain sparse. Therefore, we aimed to provide an in-depth phenotypic analysis of aura symptoms and characteristics in a cross-sectional study of a large sample of adults diagnosed with migraine with aura.

Protocol of the HISTOTHERM study: assessing the response to hyperthermia and hypofractionated radiotherapy in recurrent breast cancer.

Introduction: Breast cancer is globally the leading cancer in women, and despite the high 5-year survival rate the most frequent cause of cancer related deaths. Surgery, systemic therapy and radiotherapy are the three pillars of curative breast cancer treatment. However, locoregional recurrences frequently occur after initial treatment and are often challenging to treat, amongst others due to high doses of previous radiotherapy treatments.

Establishment of a 3D Model to Characterize the Radioresponse of Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Cells.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Despite modern, multimodal therapeutic options of surgery, chemotherapy, tumor-treating fields (TTF), and radiotherapy, the 5-year survival is below 10%. In order to develop new therapies, better preclinical models are needed that mimic the complexity of a tumor.

Clinical wIRA-hyperthermia: heating properties and effectiveness in lower trunk regions and its accordance with ESHO quality criteria for superficial hyperthermia.

Purpose: The heating characteristics of water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) radiation were investigated in two body regions of healthy humans according to the quality standards of the European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology (ESHO) using an irradiance (infrared-A) of 146 W m as recommended for clinical superficial hyperthermia (HT).

Methods: wIRA was applied to the abdominal wall and lumbar region for 60 min. Skin surface temperature was limited to ≤43 °C.

Towards unravelling biological mechanisms behind radiation-induced oral mucositis via mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Objective: Head and neck cancer (HNC) accounts for almost 890,000 new cases per year. Radiotherapy (RT) is used to treat the majority of these patients. A common side-effect of RT is the onset of oral mucositis, which decreases the quality of life and represents the major dose-limiting factor in RT.

From Localized Mild Hyperthermia to Improved Tumor Oxygenation: Physiological Mechanisms Critically Involved in Oncologic Thermo-Radio-Immunotherapy.

(1) Background: Mild hyperthermia (mHT, 39-42 °C) is a potent cancer treatment modality when delivered in conjunction with radiotherapy. mHT triggers a series of therapeutically relevant biological mechanisms, e.g.

Migraine aura-like episodes following sclerotherapy for varicose veins of the lower extremities-A systematic review.

Objective: This systematic review provides a summary and evaluation of cases of migraine aura-like episodes elicited by sclerotherapy of veins of the lower extremities and discusses possible underlying mechanisms.

Background: Sclerotherapy is a commonly used treatment for varicose veins. Symptoms resembling migraine aura have been reported during and following sclerotherapy of the lower extremities, suggesting that sclerotherapy may elicit migraine aura.

Improved Oxygenation of Human Skin, Subcutis and Superficial Cancers Upon Mild Hyperthermia Delivered by WIRA-Irradiation.

Clinical trials have shown that mild hyperthermia (HT) serves as an adjunct to cancer treatments such as chemo- and radiotherapy. Recently, a high efficacy of mild HT immediately followed by hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) in treatment of recurrent breast cancer has been documented if temperatures of 39-43 °C are achieved for 40-60 min. In the present study, temperature and oxygenation profiles were measured in superficial tissues of healthy volunteers exposed to water-filtered infrared-A- (wIRA)- irradiation, to verify that adequate thermal doses together with the improved tumor oxygenation necessary for radiosensitisation are obtained.

Krüppel-like factor 7 influences translation and pathways involved in ribosomal biogenesis in breast cancer.

Background: Ribosomal biogenesis and ribosomal proteins have attracted attention in the context of tumor biology in recent years. Instead of being mere translational machineries, ribosomes might play an active role in tumor initiation and progression. Despite its importance, regulation of ribosomal biogenesis is still not completely understood.

A patterns of care analysis of hyperthermia in combination with radio(chemo)therapy or chemotherapy in European clinical centers.

Purpose: The combination of hyperthermia (HT) with radio(chemo)therapy or chemotherapy (CT) is an established treatment strategy for specific indications. Its application in routine clinical practice in Europe depends on regulatory and local conditions. We conducted a survey among European clinical centers to determine current practice of HT.

Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Do Not Cause Radioprotection of Head-and-Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Radiotherapy of head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) can cause considerable normal tissue injuries, and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been shown to aid regeneration of irradiation-damaged normal tissues. However, utilization of MSC-based treatments for HNSCC patients undergoing radiotherapy is hampered by concerns regarding potential radioprotective effects. We therefore investigated the influence of MSCs on the radiosensitivity of HNSCCs.

The value of plasma hypoxia markers for predicting imaging-based hypoxia in patients with head-and-neck cancers undergoing definitive chemoradiation.

Background: Tumor hypoxia worsens the prognosis of head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, and plasma hypoxia markers may be used as biomarkers for radiotherapy personalization. We therefore investigated the role of the hypoxia-associated plasma proteins osteopontin, galectin-3, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) as surrogate markers for imaging-based tumor hypoxia.

Methods: Serial blood samples of HNSCC patients receiving chemoradiation within a prospective trial were analyzed for osteopontin, galectin-3, VEGF and CTGF concentrations.

Ex vivo propagation in a novel 3D high-throughput co-culture system for multiple myeloma.

Purpose: Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable hematologic malignancy which ultimately develops drug resistance and evades treatment. Despite substantial therapeutic advances over the past years, the clinical failure rate of preclinically promising anti-MM drugs remains substantial. More realistic in vitro models are thus required to better predict clinical efficacy of a preclinically active compound.

Comment on Kronenfeld et al. Clinical Outcomes for Primary and Radiation-Associated Angiosarcoma of the Breast with Multimodal Treatment: Long-Term Survival Is Achievable. 2021, , 3814.

On 2 July 2021, Kronenfeld et al. [..

Interleukin-6 as surrogate marker for imaging-based hypoxia dynamics in patients with head-and-neck cancers undergoing definitive chemoradiation-results from a prospective pilot trial.

Purpose: Intratumoral hypoxia increases resistance of head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to radiotherapy. [F]FMISO PET imaging enables noninvasive hypoxia monitoring, though requiring complex logistical efforts. We investigated the role of plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) as potential surrogate parameter for intratumoral hypoxia in HNSCC using [F]FMISO PET/CT as reference.

Radiation-Associated Angiosarcoma of the Breast and Chest Wall Treated with Thermography-Controlled, Contactless wIRA-Hyperthermia and Hypofractionated Re-Irradiation.

Background: Radiation-associated angiosarcoma of the breast (RAASB) is a rare, challenging disease, with surgery being the accepted basic therapeutic approach. In contrast, the role of adjuvant and systemic therapies is a subject of some controversy. Local recurrence rates reported in the literature are mostly heterogeneous and are highly dependent on the extent of surgery.

Symptomatic migraine: A systematic review to establish a clinically important diagnostic entity.

Objective: To determine if a clinical presentation indistinguishable from migraine can occur due to an underlying condition or pathology, that is, "symptomatic migraine."

Background: It is currently not clear whether migraine truly can be caused by an underlying condition or pathology. Characterization of the etiology and clinical features of possible symptomatic migraine is of significant clinical importance and further may help elucidate the pathophysiology of migraine.

FAK inhibition radiosensitizes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells in vitro.

Introduction: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase protein frequently overexpressed in cancer and has been linked to an increase in the stem cell population of tumors, resistance to therapy, and metastatic spread. Pharmacological FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer has received increased attention over the last few years, either alone or in combination with other therapeutics including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, its prognostic value and its role in radioresistance of pancreatic ducal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unknown.