Case series of kidney transplantation in two pediatric recipients with rare genetic diseases and intellectual disability.

Background: Kidney transplantation is the gold standard treatment for end-stage kidney disease in children. Rare genetic systemic diseases associated with cystic kidney disease such as COL4A1-related disorder and oral facial digital syndrome type 1 could contribute to end-stage kidney disease in the pediatric population but there is scarce evidence in the literature regarding kidney transplant outcomes in these cases.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 5-year-old male with COL4A1-related disorder who received a living-related donor kidney transplant from his mother.

Targeting ZNF638 activates antiviral immune responses and potentiates immune checkpoint inhibition in glioblastoma.

Viral mimicry refers to the activation of innate anti-viral immune responses due to the induction of endogenous retroelement (RE) expression. Viral mimicry has been previously described to augment anti-tumor immune responses and sensitize solid tumors to immunotherapy including colorectal cancer, melanoma, and clear renal cell carcinoma. Here, we found that targeting a novel, master epigenetic regulator, Zinc Finger Protein 638 (ZNF638), induces viral mimicry in glioblastoma (GBM) preclinical models and potentiates immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI).

The Feasibility of Robot-assisted Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) for Brain Tumors in Octogenarians.

Background: The use of robot-assisted laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is emerging as a viable treatment option for brain tumors in patients aged 80-90 years (octogenarians). Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to describe the clinical feasibility of octogenarians undergoing LITT procedure for brain tumors at our institution.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all robot-assisted LITT procedures performed at our institution between 2013 and 2023 for octogenarians.

Laser interstitial thermal therapy in neurosurgery: a single-surgeon experience of 313 patients.

Objective: Real-time MRI-guided focused laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive surgical treatment choice for challenging intracranial lesions that are either resistant to conventional therapies or located in deep or critical areas of the brain. However, existing studies on LITT within surgical neuro-oncology are relatively small and have limited follow-up periods. The authors aimed to present a comprehensive analysis of their experiences with LITT in surgical neuro-oncology, with the intent to provide a clearer understanding of the safety and efficacy of this procedure.