Combinatorial therapies for epigenetic, immunotherapeutic, and genetic targeting of chordoma.

Purpose: Chordoma, a rare malignancy of the axial skeleton and skull base, presents significant therapeutic challenges due to the high rates of tumor recurrence and resistance. While surgical resection and radiation therapy remain the gold standard of treatment, the lack of additional treatment options necessitates the exploration of novel therapies. Combinatorial therapies hold significant potential in shaping patient prognosis.

Therapeutic Opportunities for Biomarkers in Metastatic Spine Tumors.

For many spine surgeons, patients with metastatic cancer are often present in an emergent situation with rapidly progressive neurological dysfunction. Since the Patchell trial, scoring systems such as NOMS and SINS have emerged to guide the extent of surgical excision and fusion in the context of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Yet, while multidisciplinary decision-making is the gold standard of cancer care, in the middle of the night, when a patient needs spinal surgery, the wealth of chemotherapy data, clinical trials, and other medical advances can feel overwhelming.

Utility of Diffusion Tensor Imaging for Prognosis and Management of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A PRISMA Review.

Objective: As advances are made in quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, specifically diffusion tensor imaging, researchers have investigated its potential to serve as a biomarker of disease or prognosticator for postoperative recovery in the management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Here, we narratively review the current state of the emerging literature, describing areas of consensus and disagreement.

Methods: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, we queried 2 large databases for original manuscripts published in English and systematically produced a narrative review of the use of diffusion tensor imaging in the management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Animal model considerations for chordoma research: reproducing the tumor microenvironment with humanized mice.

Animal models have been commonly used in immunotherapy research to study the cell response to external agents and to assess the effectiveness and safety of new therapies. Over the past few decades, immunocompromised (also called immunodeficient) mice allowed researchers to grow human tumor cells without the impact of the host's immune system. However, while this model is very valuable to understand the tumor biology and to understand the underlying mechanism of immunotherapy, the results may not always directly translate to humans.

Effect of honey on glucose and insulin concentrations in obese girls.

Background: Childhood obesity represents a major health problem of our century. The benefits of natural products, such as honey, in the management of obesity have gained renewed interest. In this study, we investigated the effect of honey on glucose and insulin concentrations in obese prepubertal girls.