[PSI]-CIC: A Deep-Learning Pipeline for the Annotation of Sectored Saccharomyces cerevisiae Colonies.

The prion phenotype in yeast manifests as a white, pink, or red color pigment. Experimental manipulations destabilize prion phenotypes, and allow colonies to exhibit (red) sectored phenotypes within otherwise completely white colonies. Further investigation of the size and frequency of sectors that emerge as a result of experimental manipulation is capable of providing critical information on mechanisms of prion curing, but we lack a way to reliably extract this information.

Digenic Inheritance of Mutations in Homologous Recombination Genes in Cancer Patients.

Background/objectives: , , , and are known cancer predisposition genes (CPGs), but tumor risk in patients with simultaneous pathogenic variants (PVs) in CPGs remains largely unknown. In this study, we describe six patients from five families with multiple cancers who coinherited a combination of PVs in these genes.

Methods: PVs were identified using NGS DNA sequencing and were confirmed by Sanger.

, a Natural Antisense Transcript of , Promotes Tumour Progression and Metastasis in Melanoma.

The TGFβ family member NODAL, repeatedly required during embryonic development, has also been associated with tumour progression. Our aim was to clarify the controversy surrounding its involvement in melanoma tumour progression. We found that the deletion of the exon 2 in a metastatic melanoma cell line impairs its ability to form tumours and colonize distant tissues.

Efficacy of olaparib in advanced cancers with germline or somatic mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2 and ATM, a Belgian Precision tumor-agnostic phase II study.

Background: The Belgian Precision initiative aims to maximize the implementation of tumor-agnostic next-generation sequencing in patients with advanced cancer and enhance access to molecularly guided treatment options. Academic tumor-agnostic basket phase II studies are part of this initiative. The current investigator-driven trial aimed to investigate the efficacy of olaparib in advanced cancers with a (likely) pathogenic mutation (germline or somatic) in a gene that plays a role in homologous recombination (HR).

Changes in anticancer treatment plans in patients with solid cancer hospitalized with COVID-19: analysis of the nationwide BSMO-COVID registry providing lessons for the future.

Background: Solid cancer is an independent prognostic factor for poor outcome with COVID-19. As guidelines for patient management in that setting depend on retrospective efforts, we here present the first analyses of a nationwide database of patients with cancer hospitalized with COVID-19 in Belgium, with a focus on changes in anticancer treatment plans at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: Nineteen Belgian hospitals identified all patients with a history of solid cancer hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 2020 and February 2021.

PRECISION: the Belgian molecular profiling program of metastatic cancer for clinical decision and treatment assignment.

PRECISION is an initiative from the Belgian Society of Medical Oncology (BSMO) in collaboration with several stakeholders, encompassing four programs that aim to boost genomic and clinical knowledge with the ultimate goal to offer patients with metastatic solid tumors molecularly guided treatments. The PRECISION 1 study has led to the creation of a clinico-genomic database. The Belgian Approach for Local Laboratory Extensive Tumor Testing (BALLETT) and GeNeo studies will increase the number of patients with advanced cancer that have comprehensive genotyping of their cancer.

Dissecting signaling hierarchies in the patterning of the mouse primitive streak using micropatterned EpiLC colonies.

Embryo studies have established that the patterning of the mouse gastrula depends on a regulatory network in which the WNT, BMP, and NODAL signaling pathways cooperate, but aspects of their respective contributions remain unclear. Studying their impact on the spatial organization and developmental trajectories of micropatterned epiblast-like cell (EpiLC) colonies, we show that NODAL is required prior to BMP action to establish the mesoderm and endoderm lineages. The presence of BMP then forces NODAL and WNT to support the formation of posterior primitive streak (PS) derivatives, while its absence allows them to promote that of anterior PS derivatives.

Case Report Series: Aggressive HR Deficient Colorectal Cancers Related to BRCA1 Pathogenic Germline Variants.

Objective: The link between and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) in cancer has gained importance with the emergence of new targeted cancer treatments, while the available data on the role of the gene in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain contradictory. The aim of this case series was to elucidate the role of known pathogenic variants in the development of early-onset CRC.

Design: Patients were evaluated using targeted next generation sequencing, exome sequencing and chromosomal microarray analysis of the paired germline and tumor samples.

Oncological patients' reactions to COVID-19 pandemic: A single institution prospective study.

Background: The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid reorganization in all human and hospital activities, with impact on cancer patients.

Aim: An analysis of cancer patients fears, and awareness of COVID-19 has been done in this study.

Methods And Results: We analyzed cancer patients' reactions to the pandemic and their perception of oncological care reorganization, through a 12-item survey, proposed at the peak of pandemic and 3 months later.

[Multidisciplinary management of the primary liver cancers].

In Belgium and around the world, the incidence of primary malignant liver tumours is increasing, both for hepatocarcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. Their curative treatment is based on multidisciplinary and specialized care, of which surgery (including liver transplantation) remains the cornerstone, often associated with other logoregional treatments, as radioembolisation, radiofrequency ablation, and chemoembolisation. For advanced cases, the prognosis remains poor, in particular due to a certain chemoresistance of these tumours.

[Neuroendocrine neoplasms : a new era to the top of multidisciplinarity !].

Neuroendocrine neoplasms are histologically defined by a common neuroendocrine cellular phenotype. These are still considered as rare tumours even though their incidence is increasing. Heterogeneity is everywhere whether in the localization of the primitive cancer, the clinical presentation, the histological classification, the prognosis, as well as in therapeutic options, which clearly justifies specialized multidisciplinary care.

Appendiceal neuroendrocrine neoplasms: incidentaloma or something we should worry about?

Purpose Of Review: To synthesize the current knowledge and guidelines on the management of appendiceal neuroendocrine neoplasms (ANENs).

Recent Findings: Most recent guidelines are essentially based on heterogeneous retrospective series. With the advent of a more precise classification of neuroendocrine neoplasms, this heterogeneity is rightly criticized and many 'grey areas' are now debated in expert literature.

Loss of Cubilin, the intrinsic factor-vitamin B12 receptor, impairs visceral endoderm endocytosis and endodermal patterning in the mouse.

The visceral endoderm is a polarized epithelial monolayer necessary for early embryonic development in rodents. A key feature of this epithelium is an active endocytosis and degradation of maternal nutrients, in addition to being the source of various signaling molecules or inhibitors required for the differentiation and patterning of adjacent embryonic tissues. Endocytosis across the visceral endoderm epithelium involves specific cell surface receptors and an extensive sub-membrane vesicular system with numerous apical vacuoles/lysosomes.

[Treatment of mucocutaneous toxicity of target therapy in oncology].

The spectrum of the mucocutaneous adverse effects of directed oncologic therapies, such as anti-EGFR, anti-VEGF, anti-TK and anti-BRAF, presents similarities but also differences compared to that of the classic chemotherapeutics. This article reviews the dermatological toxicities of the targeted therapies, with 11 clinical cases, including mucositis and oral toxicities, the acne-like eruptions, nail changes and complications, the «hand/foot» syndrome, radiosensitization, alopecias, xerosis and skin fissures. After a brief clinical case presentation and theoretical issues, the clinical management is discussed in detail.

Expression of MT4-MMP, EGFR, and RB in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Strongly Sensitizes Tumors to Erlotinib and Palbociclib Combination Therapy.

Purpose: Here, we investigated the clinical relevance of an unprecedented combination of three biomarkers in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), both in human samples and in patient-derived xenografts of TNBC (PDX-TNBC): EGFR, its recently identified partner (MT4-MMP), and retinoblastoma protein (RB). IHC analyses were conducted on human and PDX-TNBC samples to evaluate the production of the three biomarkers. The sensitivity of cancer cells expressing or not MT4-MMP to anti-EGFR (erlotinib) or anti-CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) was evaluated in 2D and 3D proliferation assays and using xenografts and PDX-TNBC displaying different RB, MT4-MMP, and EGFR status after single (erlotinib or palbociclib) or combined (erlotinib + palbociclib) treatments.

WITHDRAWN: A single center experience in resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma : the limitations of the surgery-first approach. Critical review of the literature and proposals for practice update.

The article has been withdrawn at the request of the authors and editor because of incorrect authorship, which is considered a form of unethical publication. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

A Requirement for Zic2 in the Regulation of Nodal Expression Underlies the Establishment of Left-Sided Identity.

ZIC2 mutation is known to cause holoprosencephaly (HPE). A subset of ZIC2 HPE probands harbour cardiovascular and visceral anomalies suggestive of laterality defects. 3D-imaging of novel mouse Zic2 mutants uncovers, in addition to HPE, laterality defects in lungs, heart, vasculature and viscera.

A single center experience in resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma : the limitations of the surgery-first approach. Critical review of the literature and proposals for practice update.

Background And Study Aims: The current standard of care for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is surgery-first followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. We review our single center experience in a PDAC cohort managed by the surgery-first strategy. We then compare our data to those of Belgian and international literature.

Transcriptome-wide analysis of natural antisense transcripts shows their potential role in breast cancer.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) represent 1/5 of the mammalian transcript number, and 90% of the genome length is transcribed. Many ncRNAs play a role in cancer. Among them, non-coding natural antisense transcripts (ncNAT) are RNA sequences that are complementary and overlapping to those of either protein-coding (PCT) or non-coding transcripts.

Anteroposterior polarity and elongation in the absence of extra-embryonic tissues and of spatially localised signalling in gastruloids: mammalian embryonic organoids.

The establishment of the anteroposterior (AP) axis is a crucial step during animal embryo development. In mammals, genetic studies have shown that this process relies on signals spatiotemporally deployed in the extra-embryonic tissues that locate the position of the head and the onset of gastrulation, marked by T/Brachyury () at the posterior of the embryo. Here, we use gastruloids, mESC-based organoids, as a model system with which to study this process.