Noncoding RNAs and immune checkpoints-clinical implications as cancer therapeutics.

A major mechanism of tumor development and progression is silencing of the patient's immune response to cancer-specific antigens. Defects in the so-called cancer immunity cycle may occur at any stage of tumor development. Within the tumor microenvironment, aberrant expression of immune checkpoint molecules with activating or inhibitory effects on T lymphocytes induces immune tolerance and cellular immune escape.

Sustained improvement of intractable rheumatoid arthritis after total lymphoid irradiation.

Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) was administered to 11 patients who had intractable rheumatoid arthritis that was unresponsive to conventional medical therapy, including aspirin, multiple nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, gold salts, and D-penicillamine. Total lymphoid irradiation was given as an alternative to cytotoxic drugs such as azathioprine and cyclophosphamide. After radiotherapy, 9 of the 11 patients showed a marked improvement in clinical disease activity as measured by morning stiffness, joint tenderness, joint swelling, and overall functional abilities.

Oligoarthropathy with chronic iridocyclitis--a disease only of childhood?

The association between chronic iridocyclitis and pauciarticular disease in childhood is well recognized. In view of this important subset of childhood arthritis, a comparable entity was searched for in adults. Twenty-three rheumatologists and 149 ophthalmologists were contacted in the San Francisco Bay area regarding the possible presence of this association in their catchment area of several million adult individuals.