Chemorefractory extranodal nasal-type natural-killer/T-cell lymphoma with great response to pembrolizumab in a young patient: a case report.

Introduction: Extranodal, natural-killer/T-cell lymphoma of nasal type is a rare but aggressive disease usually presenting as progressive necrotic lesions in the nasal cavity that responds poorly to chemotherapy. In this paper, we report a relapsing, chemorefractory case of extranodal natural-killer/T-cell lymphoma responding to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy with pembrolizumab.

Case Presentation: A 32-year-old Hispanic woman with a history of recurrent sinusitis and preseptal abscess presented with a hoarse voice, swelling around the right eye, and diplopia.

Early 3+3 Trial Dose-Escalation Phase I Clinical Trial Design and Suitability for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Purpose: Despite the expansion of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) indications, the relationship between ICI dose and toxicity or response is not well established. To understand this correlation, we performed a meta-analysis of ICI trials that used dose escalation.

Experimental Design: We searched PubMed and abstracts presented at (inter)national meetings for trials using FDA-approved ICIs.

Agonist anti-GITR antibody significantly enhances the therapeutic efficacy of Listeria monocytogenes-based immunotherapy.

Background: We previously demonstrated that in addition to generating an antigen-specific immune response, Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)-based immunotherapy significantly reduces the ratio of regulatory T cells (Tregs)/CD4 and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the tumor microenvironment. Since Lm-based immunotherapy is able to inhibit the immune suppressive environment, we hypothesized that combining this treatment with agonist antibody to a co-stimulatory receptor that would further boost the effector arm of immunity will result in significant improvement of anti-tumor efficacy of treatment.

Methods: Here we tested the immune and therapeutic efficacy of Listeria-based immunotherapy combination with agonist antibody to glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein (GITR) in TC-1 mouse tumor model.

Old-School Chemotherapy in Immunotherapeutic Combination in Cancer, A Low-cost Drug Repurposed.

Cancer immunotherapy has proven to be a potent treatment modality. Although often successful in generating antitumor immune responses, cancer immunotherapy is frequently hindered by tumor immune-escape mechanisms. Among immunosuppressive strategies within the tumor microenvironment, suppressive immune regulatory cells play a key role in promoting tumor progression through inhibiting the effector arm of the immune response.

An investigation of the spectrum of common and rare inherited coagulation disorders in north-eastern Iran.

Background: Health care officials and legislators need accurate data on prevalence and numbers of individuals with bleeding disorders in order to plan and allot their budgets; the manufacturers of coagulation factors also need these data to estimate the amount of factors required to prevent scarcity of these products.

Materials And Methods: We surveyed the prevalence of haemophilia A, haemophilia B, von Willebrand's disease and rare bleeding disorders in North-Eastern Iran. The survey was done in the period from September 2009 to March 2011.

Can malignant bowel obstruction in advanced cancer patients be treated at home?

Eleven advanced cancer patients affected by malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) were treated at home with a combination of octreotide, metoclopramide, morphine, and dexamethasone. In all patients, we observed a prompt control of gastrointestinal symptoms and recovery of bowel movements within 1-5 days. Based on our results, a combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action allows an effective and safe treatment for MBO at home.