The Impact of Medicaid Expansion Under the Affordable Care Act on the Gap Between American Indians and Whites in Breast Cancer Management and Prognosis.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) death rates in the USA have not significantly declined for American Indians (AIs) in comparison to Whites. Our objective was to determine whether Medicaid Expansion as part of the Affordable Care Act led to improved BC outcomes for AIs relative to Whites.

Patients And Methods: Using the National Cancer Database, we conducted a retrospective cohort study.

Differences in Breast Cancers Among American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic Whites in the USA.

Importance: Breast cancer (BC) death rates have not improved for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women, whereas, it has significantly decreased for non-Hispanic White (White) women.

Objective: Delineate the differences in patient and tumor characteristics among AI/AN and Whites with BC, and its impact on age and stage at diagnosis as well as overall survival (OS).

Methods: Hospital-based, cohort study using the National Cancer Database to identify female AI/AN and Whites diagnosed with BC between the years 2004 and 2016.

Delivering Precision Oncology in a Community Cancer Program: Results From a Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Precision oncology (PO) is a growing treatment approach in the era of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and matched therapies. Effective delivery of PO in the community has not been extensively studied. Our program developed a virtual molecular tumor board (MTB) strategy to help guide PO care.

Phase II trial of the histone deacetylase inhibitor romidepsin in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer.

Objectives: Patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) have limited treatment options. Inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) represents a novel therapeutic approach warranting additional investigation in solid tumors.

Methods: A phase II trial of single agent romidepsin, an HDAC inhibitor, was performed in 14 patients with SCCHN who provided consent for pre- and post-therapy samples of accessible tumor, blood and uninvolved oral mucosa.

Modulation of CDK2-AP1 (p12(DOC-1)) expression in human colorectal cancer.

We have previously demonstrated an association between microsatellite instability and decreased CDK2-AP1 (p12(DOC-1)) expression in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. In those same studies, induction of CDK2-AP1 expression promoted both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The goals of our present study were to better understand the mechanisms leading to reduced CDK2-AP1 expression in microsatellite unstable (MSI) CRC and to study further the effect of CDK2-AP1 modulation on cell proliferation and apoptosis utilizing RNA interference (RNAi) techniques.

Metastatic carcinoma: an unusual cause of focal brain lesions in HIV infection.

The most common causes of focal brain lesions (FBLs) in patients with HIV infection are cerebral toxoplasmosis, primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Neoplasms other than PCNSL are uncommon. We report a rare case of metastatic carcinoma causing an FBL in a patient with HIV infection.