Publications by authors named "Frederick Lang"

Background: Oncolytic adenoviruses are promising therapies for the treatment of gliomas. However, untargeted viral replication and the paucity of coxsackie-adenovirus receptors (CARs) on tumor cells are major stumbling blocks for adenovirus-based treatment. We studied the antiglioma activity of the tumor-selective Delta-24 adenovirus, which encompasses an early 1 A adenoviral (E1A) deletion in the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein-binding region, and of the Delta-24-RGD adenovirus.

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Although no optimal treatment is currently available for malignant brain tumors, as the molecular mechanisms underlying brain tumor development have been delineated, new chemotherapeutic agents that act directly on specific molecular targets have become available. Defining a specific molecular target raises the possibility that the molecular effects of a given agent can be analyzed in patients in a clinical trial. Specifically, whereas standard phase I and II clinical trials classically determine the safety and efficacy of agents by using indirect global end points, these new biological agents afford the opportunity to incorporate molecular end points into phase I and II clinical trials to determine whether the agent under investigation is actually doing what it was intended to do.

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Objective: Two main forms of cell death are encountered in biology: apoptosis (i.e., programmed cell death) and necrosis (i.

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The planning target volume (PTV) includes the clinical target volume (CTV) to be irradiated and a margin to account for uncertainties in the treatment process. Uncertainties in miniature multileaf collimator (mMLC) leaf positioning, CT scanner spatial localization, CT-MRI image fusion spatial localization, and Gill-Thomas-Cosman (GTC) relocatable head frame repositioning were quantified for the purpose of determining a minimum PTV margin that still delivers a satisfactory CTV dose. The measured uncertainties were then incorporated into a simple Monte Carlo calculation for evaluation of various margin and fraction combinations.

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Although clinical syndromes of visual-spatial neglect have been well described in adults, clinical features of neglect associated with subcortical dysfunction are infrequently reported in children and have not been described in detail. Unilateral visual-spatial neglect in a 7-year-old male following removal of a right subcortical juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma is reported. Preoperative baseline neurocognitive assessment of the patient established intact attentional and intellectual functioning.

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Article Synopsis
  • Therapeutic replacement of the p53 gene using an adenovirus vector (Ad-p53) shows promise for treating glioma, particularly in cells with mutant p53, which are prone to apoptosis after treatment.
  • In wild-type p53 glioma cells, Ad-p53 can enhance sensitivity to radiation by promoting apoptosis, especially when combined with other DNA-damaging agents.
  • The study highlights the importance of phosphorylations at serine 15 and 20 in regulating the apoptotic effects of p53, establishing a link between these phosphorylations and the level of apoptosis observed in glioma cells.
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