Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Downstaged to T0N0 with Chemotherapy and Targeted Therapy, Confirmed by Surgical Pathology: A Case Report.

Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive human tumor that is typically diagnosed at a later stage when surgery is not possible.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a solitary hepatic lesion and a pancreatic body lesion.

Case report: Diagnosis of NUT carcinoma of hepatic origin by next-generation sequencing.

NUT carcinoma is a rare subcategory of squamous cell carcinoma. The latter is primarily characterized by the fusion of the coding sequence on chromosome 15q14 with BRD4 or BRD3, both of which are acetyl-histone binding bromodomains. This tumor is often misdiagnosed due to its rarity and its histological similarity with other squamous cell carcinomas.

Pancreatic cancer presenting as bowel obstruction and role of next generation sequencing: A case report.

Introduction And Importance: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the leading causes of death. Presentation with colonic metastases is far less frequently reported in the literature and may be misdiagnosed as colonic adenocarcinoma. We report the case of a female patient with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma that presented with a sigmoid obstruction.

Cobimetinib Plus Gemcitabine: An Active Combination in KRAS G12R-Mutated Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients in Previously Treated and Failed Multiple Chemotherapies.

The KRAS proto-oncogene is involved in the RAS/MAPK pathway. KRAS is present in the wild type or mutated forms. The oncogene KRAS is frequently mutated in various cancers.

Potential benefit of treatment with MEK inhibitors and chemotherapy in BRAF-mutated KRAS wild-type pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients: a case report.

This is the first case report of a 60-yr-old female who underwent therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer with fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX). Upon the progression of her disease, she was switched to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. Per genomic sequencing, her tumor was found to be a KRAS wild-type and BRAF V600E mutation, which then warranted treatment with the MEK1 and MEK2 inhibitor, cobimetinib.

Treatment of advanced colorectal cancer in a patient with cardiotoxic reactions to 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine using suboptimal doses.

A 32-year-old female with stage IV colorectal cancer and metastasis to the liver experienced cardiotoxic reactions after treatment with 5-fluorouracil and its oral prodrug capecitabine even at two-thirds the recommended dose. After careful considerations, the decision was made to attempt capecitabine retrial at a further suboptimal dose with combination chemotherapy where she no longer experienced cardiac events. As a result, the liver tumour shrank and rectal mass stabilised, tumour markers dropped and she underwent surgical resection of both masses.

Long-term survival based on pathologic response to neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant treatment is standard for locally advanced esophageal cancer. However, whether the addition of radiation to neoadjuvant regimen improves survival remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare survival in locally advanced esophageal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus chemoradiation.

Arsenic Attenuates GLI Signaling, Increasing or Decreasing its Transcriptional Program in a Context-Dependent Manner.

The metalloid arsenic is a worldwide environmental toxicant, exposure to which is associated with many adverse outcomes. Arsenic is also an effective therapeutic agent in certain disease settings. Arsenic was recently shown to regulate the activity of the Hedgehog (HH) signal transduction pathway, and this regulation of HH signaling was proposed to be responsible for a subset of arsenic's biologic effects.

In the war against solid tumors arsenic trioxide needs partners.

In the past decade, the therapeutic potential of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) was recognized. This encouraged other investigators to test the efficacy of ATO in the management of other hematological and solid tumor malignancies. Notably, as a single agent, arsenic trioxide did not benefit patients diagnosed with solid tumors.

In Vitro Global Gene Expression Analyses Support the Ethnopharmacological Use of Achyranthes aspera.

Achyranthes aspera (family Amaranthaceae) is known for its anticancer properties. We have systematically validated the in vitro and in vivo anticancer properties of this plant. However, we do not know its mode of action.

Depth of injury caused by liquid nitrogen cryospray: study of human patients undergoing planned esophagectomy.

Background: Cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen delivered endoscopically has been used for mucosal ablation of esophageal neoplasia. There are no data for the human esophagus on the depth of injury and effects of this technique.

Aim: Prospective study to examine the effect of treatment and depth of injury to the human esophagus of liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy for subjects with esophageal neoplasia before planned esophagectomy.

Influence of treatment modality in outcomes for different stages of resectable esophageal adenocarcinomas.

Background: There is no consensus on the most effective modality for the treatment of resectable esophageal adenocarcinomas (EAC). We theorized that treatment modality may influence survival differently depending on the stage of disease.

Methods: A single-institution, retrospective examination of resectable EAC between 2000 and 2008 was performed.

Does neoadjuvant chemotherapy improve outcomes for patients with gastric cancer?

Background: The role of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer remains undefined. We compared the outcomes for patients treated with surgery alone or with the addition of adjuvant or neaodjuvant treatment.

Methods: A single-institution, retrospective evaluation of a prospective database of gastric cancer patients treated from 2000 to 2008 was performed.

Achyranthes aspera (Apamarg) leaf extract inhibits human pancreatic tumor growth in athymic mice by apoptosis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Achyranthes aspera (Family Amaranthacea) is used for cancer therapy by ayurvedic medical practitioners in India. However, due to the non formal nature of its use, there are no systematic studies validating its medicinal properties. Thus, it's utility as an anti cancer agent remains anecdotal.

The presence of three repeats in the 5' UTR region of thymidylate synthase (TS) is associated with increased TS mRNA expression in cultured human cancer cell lines in vitro.

Thymidylate synthase (TS) gene contains 28-bp polymorphic sequence and 6-bp insert at the 5'- and 3'-untranslated region, respectively. We investigated the role of these two polymorphic traits on TS mRNA expression in nine different cultured human cancer cell lines in vitro. Three cell lines each were 2R/2R, 2R/3R and 3R/3R genotypes.

A phase II study of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, leucovorin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel in the treatment of previously untreated advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Objective: A complete pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, without the use of radiation, has infrequently been reported in operable chemo-naïve stage III esophageal adenocarcinoma patients.

Methods: Twenty-nine eligible patients were enrolled in the study. Neoadjuvant therapy consisted of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, leucovorin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel and was administered in two 4-week cycles.

Anti-proliferative and anti-cancer properties of Achyranthes aspera: specific inhibitory activity against pancreatic cancer cells.

Aims Of The Study: Achyranthes aspera (Family: Amaranthacea) is a medicinal plant used as an anti-cancer agent in ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine practiced in subcontinental India. The aim of the study was to systematically investigate the anti-proliferative properties of Achyranthes aspera leaves extracted in methanol (LE) on human cancer cells in vitro.

Materials And Methods: We tested time, dose dependent and specific anti-proliferative activity of LE by clonogenic cell survival assay on human cancer and normal epithelial cell lines in vitro.

Arsenic trioxide suppresses thymidylate synthase in 5-FU-resistant colorectal cancer cell line HT29 In Vitro re-sensitizing cells to 5-FU.

Identification of new agents with antitumor activity in chemoresistant tumors is urgently needed for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)), a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug is successfully being used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Several clinical trials also suggest its ineffectiveness on solid tumors.

Chronic exposure of colorectal cancer cells in culture to fluoropyrimidine analogs induces thymidylate synthase and suppresses p53. A molecular explanation for the mechanism of 5-FU resistance.

Resistance to chemotherapy is a major issue in treating malignant diseases. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the drug of choice in managing colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. However, 5-FU resistance leads to eventual treatment failure.

A phase I study of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin and arsenic trioxide for patients with refractory/relapsed colorectal carcinoma.

Purpose: This Phase I study was designed to determine a safe combination dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) to treat 5-FU-resistant relapsed/refractory colorectal cancer patients. We studied the effect of ATO in the downregulation of thymidylate synthase (TS) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in tumor biopsies.

Experimental Design: ATO was administered for 5 consecutive days during the first week and twice during weeks 2 to 3 and once on week 4.

Neoadjuvant, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy without radiation for esophageal cancer.

Background: A phase II trial to evaluate neoadjuvant (NAD), surgery and adjuvant (AD) combination chemotherapy without radiation therapy (RT) for patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma staged with endoscopic ultrasound and CT as T3N1 was carried out.

Methods: Thirty-three eligible patients were enrolled. NAD therapy was administered in two 49-day cycles and included cisplatin, floxuridine, paclitaxel and leucovorin.

A phase II study of irinotecan, high-dose 24-h continuous intravenous infusion of floxuridine and leucovorin (IFLUX) for advanced, previously untreated colorectal cancer.

Our objectives were to determine response rate, time to progression, overall survival and tolerability of novel combination chemotherapy, consisting of irinotecan, high-dose 24-h continuous intravenous infusion of floxuridine and leucovorin in advanced previously untreated colorectal cancer. Thirty-eight patients with advanced colorectal cancer were treated at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, from 2000 to 2004, and received weekly intravenous infusion of irinotecan at 110 mg/m with a combination of 120 mg/kg floxuridine and 500 mg/m leucovorin administered as a 24-h continuous intravenous infusion. The treatment cycle consisted of 4 weeks of consecutive therapy followed by 2 weeks of rest.