Comprehensive Exome Analysis of Immunocompetent Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Models Reveals Patient Relevant Landscapes.

Immunocompetent metastatic head and neck cancer (HNC) models, although scarce, can help understanding cancer progression and therapy responses in vivo. Their comprehensive genome characterizations are essential for translational research. We first exome-sequenced the two most widely used spontaneous metastatic immunocompetent models, namely AT-84 and SCC VII, followed by comprehensive genomic analyses with three prior-sequenced models (MOC2, MOC2-10, and 4MOSC2), together with patient tumors for utility assessment.

MAPK pathway mutations in head and neck cancer affect immune microenvironments and ErbB3 signaling.

MAPK pathway mutations affect one-fifth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Unexpectedly, MAPK pathway aberrations are associated with remarkably long patient survival, even among patients with mutations (median ∼14 yr). We explored underlying outcome-favoring mechanisms with omics followed by preclinical models.

Erlotinib sensitivity of p.D321N mutation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) lacks predictive biomarkers for drug responses. By targeted sequencing, we identified two mutations in recurrent HNSCC, p.D321N, and p.

First confirmed case of native polyomavirus BK nephropathy in a liver transplant recipient seven years post-transplant.

Renal dysfunction frequently occurs in liver transplant recipients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. BK virus is a human polyoma virus that reactivates during immunocompromised states and is a known cause of renal allograft dysfunction in renal transplant recipients. However, BK nephropathy of native kidneys is rare in non-renal transplant recipients.

Hypertension and nephritic urine sediment following retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

Retroperitonela lymph node dissection (RPLND), cisplatin-based chemotherapy, and tumor surveillance has dramatically improved survival of patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors. Complications, including renal vascular injuries, have been encountered with post-chemotherapy RPLND. We report on a patient with delayed renovascular hypertension and nephritic sediment following RPLND.