Are there differences in overall survival among older breast cancer patients by race and ethnicity?

Background: Non-Hispanic Black women have lower breast cancer incidence but twice the mortality of non-Hispanic White women. Recent data suggest that the overall survival difference may not be observed in older women. This study aims to determine overall survival in women aged ≥70 years with operable breast cancer by race and ethnicity and factors contributing to overall survival.

The Use of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients Undergoing Mastectomy for DCIS.

Background: Current guidelines do not recommend routine sentinel node biopsy (SLNB) for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), except in the setting of mastectomy or microinvasive disease. This study aimed to evaluate national SLNB utilization in women undergoing upfront mastectomy for DCIS, identify predictors of SLNB utilization, and determine the percentage with a positive SLNB.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the NCDB of women with clinical DCIS who underwent upfront mastectomy between 2012 and 2017.

Epigenetic modifications of cfDNA in liquid biopsy for the cancer care continuum.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the clinical utility of liquid biopsy, with a particular focus on epigenetic approaches aimed at overcoming challenges in cancer diagnosis and treatment. It begins by elucidating key epigenetic terms, including methylomics, fragmentomics, and nucleosomics. The review progresses to discuss methods for analyzing circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and highlights recent studies showcasing the clinical relevance of epigenetic modifications in areas such as diagnosis, drug treatment response, minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, and prognosis prediction.

Does Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Clinical T1-T2 N0 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Increase the Extent of Axillary Surgery?

Background: Current management strategies for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) include upfront surgery to determine pathologic stage to guide chemotherapy recommendations, or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) to de-escalate surgery, elucidate tumor response, and determine the role of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, patients who receive NAC with residual pathological nodal (pN) involvement require axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) as they are Z11/AMAROS ineligible. We aimed to evaluate the impact of NAC compared with upfront surgery on pN status and ALND rates in cT1-2N0 TNBC.

Comparing Symmetric Dimethylarginine and Amyloid-β42 as Predictors of Alzheimer's Disease Development.

Background: Physicians may soon be able to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) in its early stages using fluid biomarkers like amyloid. However, it is acknowledged that additional biomarkers need to be characterized which would facilitate earlier monitoring of AD pathogenesis.

Objective: To determine if a potential novel inflammation biomarker for AD, symmetric dimethylarginine, has utility as a baseline serum biomarker for discriminating prodromal AD from cognitively unimpaired controls in comparison to cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β42 (Aβ).

National trends in neoadjuvant chemotherapy utilization in patients with early-stage node-negative triple-negative breast cancer: the impact of the CREATE-X trial.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) allows for assessment of tumor pathological response and has survival implications. In 2017, the CREATE-X trial demonstrated survival benefit with adjuvant capecitabine in patients TNBC and residual disease after NAC. We aimed to assess national rates of NAC for cT1-2N0M0 TNBC before and after CREATE-X and examine factors associated with receiving NAC vs adjuvant chemotherapy (AC).

Energy expenditure and weight-related behaviors in youth with Down syndrome: a protocol.

Background: The consequences of obesity are ominous, yet healthcare professionals are not adequately preventing or treating obesity in youth with Down syndrome (DS). Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the energy expended in 24 h through physical activity and life-sustaining physiologic processes. An individual's TDEE is essential for determining the daily caloric intake needed to maintain or change body weight.

National Trends in "Going Flat" After Mastectomy.

Introduction: The "Going Flat" movement became widely publicized in 2016 and provides information and support to women who choose to forego post-mastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). The objectives of this study were to evaluate temporal trends in PMBR to ascertain the potential impact of this movement and assess which factors are associated with going flat.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the NCDB of women with non-metastatic breast cancer who underwent mastectomy between 2004 and 2019.

Associations Between Hospital Volume and Overall Survival After Surgery in Older Patients with Breast Cancer.

Background: High-volume hospitals (HVHs) are associated with improved overall survival (OS) following surgery for breast cancer compared with low-volume hospitals (LVHs). We examined this association in patients age ≥ 80 years and described patient and treatment characteristics associated with HVHs.

Patients And Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried for women age ≥ 80 years who underwent surgery for stage I-III breast cancer between 2005 and 2014.

Annual cost-savings with the implementation of estrogen-receptor-only testing on Ductal Carcinoma in Situ specimens.

Background: In DCIS, ER status is an important marker. The utility of concomitant PR testing remains unclear.

Methods: A single-institution retrospective cohort study was performed with a comparative analysis of the NCDB to assess annual cost-savings with omission of routine PR testing.

Plasma Copy Number Alteration-Based Prognostic and Predictive Multi-Gene Risk Score in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) accounted for more than 34,000 deaths in US males [...

Appendiceal Incidentalomas: Prevalence, Radiographic Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes.

Background: Radiographically detected incidental appendiceal abnormalities, in this report termed "appendiceal incidentalomas" (AIs), are an ill-defined entity with an unknown prevalence of neoplasm. This study aimed to describe the prevalence, radiographic characteristics, and outcomes of patients with a diagnosis of AI.

Methods: The study reviewed the electronic health records for patients at a single institution undergoing abdominopelvic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from 2000 to 2020 for non-appendix-related complaints with mention of appendix abnormality in the radiology report.

Primary Breast Neuroendocrine Tumors: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Background: Primary breast neuroendocrine tumors (BNETs) represent < 1% of breast cancers. Diagnosing BNETs can be challenging, and a limited amount of cohort data currently exists in literature. We aimed to describe primary BNET characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes through the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Treatment Patterns in Women Age 80 and Over With DCIS: A Report From the National Cancer Database.

Background: Despite an aging population, there are no established treatment guidelines for women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) age ≥80. Here we describe national treatment patterns and survival outcomes in older women with DCIS.

Patients And Methods: Women age ≥80 diagnosed with DCIS from 2005 to 2014 were identified using the National Cancer Database.

Novel role of prostate cancer risk variant rs7247241 on PPP1R14A isoform transition through allelic TF binding and CpG methylation.

Although previous studies identified numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their target genes predisposed to prostate cancer (PrCa) risks, SNP-related splicing associations are rarely reported. In this study, we applied distance-based sQTL analysis (sQTLseekeR) using RNA-seq and SNP genotype data from benign prostate tissue (n = 467) and identified significant associations in 3344 SNP-transcript pairs (P ≤ 0.05) at PrCa risk loci.

Synthesis and antitumour evaluation of indole-2-carboxamides against paediatric brain cancer cells.

Paediatric glioblastomas are rapidly growing, devastating brain neoplasms with an invasive phenotype. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which are the current therapeutic adjuvant to surgical resection, are still associated with various toxicity profiles and only marginally improve the course of the disease and life expectancy. A considerable body of evidence supports the antitumour and apoptotic effects of certain cannabinoids, such as WIN55,212-2, against a wide spectrum of cancer cells, including gliomas.

Building a Program of Expanded Peer Support for the Entire Health Care Team: No One Left Behind.

Background: Medical errors can cause second victim syndrome (SVS) in caregivers. Literature describing the development of effective peer support programs is limited. This article describes the implementation of a peer support program for an entire health care system.

Accuracy of body mass index in categorizing weight status in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Purpose: To identify the accuracy of Body Mass Index (BMI) to categorize body weight in a sample of children with spina bifida and Down syndrome as compared to typically developing peers.

Methods: A secondary analysis of 32 children with spina bifida, Down syndrome or no chronic illness. A calculated BMI was plotted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific BMI growth charts to determine each child's weight status.

Invasive Breast Cancer Treatment Patterns in Women Age 80 and Over: A Report from the National Cancer Database.

Background: There are no established treatment guidelines for women with breast cancer aged ≥80 despite increasing representation in the US population. Here we identify national treatment patterns and survival outcomes in women with stage I-III invasive breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Women age ≥80 diagnosed with stage I-III invasive breast cancer (IBC) were identified from 2005-2014 in the National Cancer Database.

An Improved Detection of Circulating Tumor DNA in Extracellular Vesicles-Depleted Plasma.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma has been used as a biomarker for cancer detection and outcome prediction. In this study, we collected the five precipitates (fractions 1-5) and leftover supernatant plasma component (fraction 6) by a sequential centrifugation in plasma samples from nine small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. The fractions 3, 5 and 6 were large vesicles, exosomes and extracellular vesicles (EVs)-depleted plasma, respectively.