Publications by authors named "E G Alava"

Human cancer cell lines are the mainstay of cancer research. Recent reports showed that highly mutated adult carcinoma cell lines (mainly HeLa and MCF-7) present striking diversity across laboratories and that long-term continuous culturing results in genomic/transcriptomic heterogeneity with strong phenotypical implications. Here, we hypothesize that oligomutated pediatric sarcoma cell lines mainly driven by a fusion transcription factor, such as Ewing sarcoma (EwS), are genetically and phenotypically more stable than the previously investigated adult carcinoma cell lines.

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Background: Herein, we present the results of the phase 2 IMMUNOSARC study (NCT03277924), investigating sunitinib and nivolumab in adult patients with advanced bone sarcomas (BS).

Methods: Progressing patients with a diagnosis of BS were eligible. Treatment was comprised of sunitinib (37.

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Ewing sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive bone and soft-tissue pediatric cancer. High vitronectin (VN) expression has been associated with poor prognosis in other cancers, and we aimed to determine the utility of this extracellular matrix glycoprotein as a biomarker of aggressiveness in ES. Silk fibroin plus gelatin-tyramine hydrogels (HGs) were fabricated with and without cross-linked VN and cultivated with A673 and PDX73 ES cell lines for two and three weeks.

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Article Synopsis
  • Sarcomas are rare tumors that are hard to diagnose due to their varied appearances; traditional diagnostic methods have limitations in accurately identifying them.
  • The study aimed to enhance the diagnostic capabilities of the NanoString nCounter technology by incorporating 188 probes to detect specific gene fusions associated with various types of sarcomas, which were validated through retrospective and prospective sample testing.
  • The results showed that this optimized NanoString approach achieved over 88% sensitivity and 100% specificity, proving to be more effective than standard methods, especially for identifying crucial gene fusions in solitary fibrous tumors and low-grade fibromyxoid sarcomas.
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Despite advancements in precision medicine, many cancer patients globally, particularly those in resource-constrained environments, face significant challenges in accessing high-quality molecular testing and targeted therapies. The considerable heterogeneity in molecular testing highlights the urgent need to harmonize practices across Europe and beyond, establishing a more standardized and consistent approach in MP laboratories. Professionals, especially molecular pathologists, must move beyond traditional education to cope with this heterogeneity.

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