Advances in Cell and Immune Therapies for Melanoma.

The incidence rate of cutaneous melanoma is on the rise worldwide, due to increased exposure to UV radiation, aging populations, and exposure to teratogen agents. However, diagnosis is more precise, and the increased number of new cases is related to the improved diagnosis tools. Despite better early diagnosis and better therapies, melanoma has remained a significant public health challenge because of its aggressive behavior and high potential for metastasis.

Illuminating the Shadows: Innovation in Advanced Imaging Techniques for Myeloma Precursor Conditions.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), the asymptomatic precursors to multiple myeloma, affect up to 5% of the population over the age of 40. Bone involvement, a myeloma-defining event, represents a major source of morbidity for patients. Key goals for the management of myeloma precursor conditions include (1) identifying patients at the highest risk for progression to MM with bone involvement and (2) differentiating precursor states from active myeloma requiring treatment.

Wnt Signaling Pathway in Tumor Biology.

Relapse and metastasis are the major challenges that stand in the way of cancer healing and survival, mainly attributed to cancer stem cells (CSCs). Their capabilities of self-renewal and tumorigenic potential leads to treatment resistance development. CSCs function through signaling pathways such as the Wnt/β-catenin cascade.

Global disparities in drug-related adverse events of patients with multiple myeloma: a pharmacovigilance study.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a complex hematological malignancy of clonal plasma cells driven by alterations to the chromosomal material leading to uncontrolled proliferation in the bone marrow. Ethnic and racial disparities persist in the prevalence, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of MM. These disparities are multifaceted and intersect with various factors, including demographics, geography, socioeconomic status, genetics, and access to healthcare.

Clonal hematopoiesis in large granular lymphocytic leukemia.

Past studies described occasional patients with myeloid neoplasms (MN) and coexistent large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGLL) or T-cell clonopathy of unknown significance (TCUS), which may represent expansion of myeloid clonal hematopoiesis (CH) as triggers or targets of clonal cytotoxic T cell reactions. We retrospectively analyzed 349 LGLL/TCUS patients, 672 MN patients, and 1443 CH individuals to establish the incidence, genetic landscape, and clinical phenotypes of CH in LGLL. We identified 8% of cases overlapping with MN, while CH was found in an additional 19% of cases (CH + /LGLL) of which TET2 (23%) and DNMT3A (14%) were the most common.

Telomere length and cognitive changes in 7,877 older UK adults of European ancestry.

Background: Telomere length (TL) has been linked to cognitive function, decline and dementia. This study aimed to explore whether both measured TL and genetic disposition for TL predict dimensions of cognitive performance in a longitudinal sample of older UK adults.

Methods: We analysed data from PROTECT study participants aged ≥50 years without a dementia diagnosis, who had completed longitudinal cognitive testing.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma in Romania: First case series of all documented cases.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), an uncommon malignancy, was linked to textured breast implants by moderate evidence in 2021. Documenting Romanian cases provides valuable insights into the epidemiology, management, and outcomes, thereby, enhancing global understanding and informing clinical practices. Our objective was to analyze BIA-ALCL cases in Romania, focusing on patient demographics, implant characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, treatment, and outcomes.

"Lazarus Response" When Feto-Maternal Microchimerism Kicks in: Spontaneous Remission in Refractory Primary Mediastinal B Cell Lymphoma Following Twin Pregnancy.

: Spontaneous remission of cancer is a rare and poorly understood phenomenon characterized by complete or partial remission of a malignancy in the absence of or with inadequate treatment. The underlying mechanism for such occurrences is poorly understood, however, immune mechanisms seem to play an important role in such cases. In recent years increasingly more data have become available in favor of the clinical benefit of low levels of chimerism in hematologic malignancies.

Capillary Leak Syndrome Associated with Anaplastic T Cell Lymphoma and Transcutaneous Exudation: An Unusual Presentation.

Capillary leak syndrome is a rare complication of cancer, particularly of hematologic malignancies. The syndrome was first described as an idiopathic entity; however, increasingly, more cases are being reported in association with cancers and other conditions. Diagnosis stems from the recognition of the double paradox, consisting of severe generalized oedema and hypotension, accompanied by hallmark laboratory modifications.

Limited evidence of a shared genetic relationship between C-reactive protein levels and cognitive function in older UK adults of European ancestry.

Introduction: Previous studies have shown associations between cognitive function and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in older adults. Few studies have considered the extent to which a genetic predisposition for higher CRP levels contributes to this association.

Methods: Data was analyzed from 7,817 UK participants aged >50 years as part of the PROTECT study, within which adults without dementia completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.

Shared representations of human actions across vision and language.

Humans can recognize and communicate about many actions performed by others. How are actions organized in the mind, and is this organization shared across vision and language? We collected similarity judgments of human actions depicted through naturalistic videos and sentences, and tested four models of action categorization, defining actions at different levels of abstraction ranging from specific (action verb) to broad (action target: whether an action is directed towards an object, another person, or the self). The similarity judgments reflected a shared organization of action representations across videos and sentences, determined mainly by the target of actions, even after accounting for other semantic features.

Outcomes of therapeutic plasma exchange for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma cast nephropathy.

Current treatment guidelines of myeloma cast nephropathy (MCN) recommend the institution of plasma cell-directed therapy and consideration of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), with the goal of rapid reduction of the serum free light chain (sFLC). However, the role of TPE continues to remain a subject of debate. The goal of this retrospective bi-institutional study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of TPE in combination with systemic therapy.

Timing of Toxicities and Non-Relapse Mortality Following CAR T Therapy in Myeloma.

BCMA-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapies, including idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) and ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), have transformed the treatment landscape for relapsed-refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), offering remarkable efficacy with hallmark toxicity risks of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). The FDA mandates a 4-week monitoring period at the treatment center as part of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to monitor and manage these toxicities, which, while prudent, may add unnecessary challenges related to access and socioeconomic disparities. We sought to assess CRS and ICANS onset and duration, as well as causes of non-relapse mortality (NRM) in real-world BCMA CAR T recipients in order to better inform future changes to the monitoring guidelines for CAR T recipients.

Impact of extramedullary multiple myeloma on outcomes with idecabtagene vicleucel.

Idecabtagene vicleucel (Ide-cel) has demonstrated excellent efficacy and durable responses in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). However, the outcomes with ide-cel in patients with extramedullary disease (EMD) remain incompletely characterized. We included patients with RRMM treated with ide-cel between May 2021 and April 2023 across 11 US academic institutions.

Absolute Lymphocyte Count and Outcomes of Multiple Myeloma Patients Treated with Idecabtagene Vicleucel: The US Myeloma Immunotherapy Consortium Real- World Experience.

Idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel) has shown impressive efficacy in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). This study aimed to investigate the impact of absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) on the survival outcomes of RRMM patients treated with standard of care (SOC) ide-cel. Data were collected retrospectively from 11 institutions in the U.

Impact of Extraosseous Extramedullary Disease on Outcomes of Patients with Relapsed-Refractory Multiple Myeloma receiving Standard-of-Care Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy.

The presence of extramedullary disease (EMD) has been associated with poor outcomes in patients with relapsed-refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Herein, we report the outcomes of RRMM patients who were treated with standard-of-care (SOC) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and had active extraosseous EMD before the infusion. Data were retrospectively collected from patients at three US institutions with the intent to receive SOC CAR T.