Publications by authors named "Jacob Bitran"

Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a commonly occurring condition following solid organ transplantation (SOT) and, rarely, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). As the name suggests, a PTLD is a condition where there is a clonal proliferation of lymphoid cells that occurs as a complication after transplantation. Though the clonal origin cell is primarily associated with the B-cell lineage, there are existing cases in the literature describing PTLD from the T-cell lineage.

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Plasma cell neoplasms include various conditions ranging from indolent conditions such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to more aggressive forms such as multiple myeloma (MM). The World Health Organization classifies plasmacytomas into two types: solitary osseous plasmacytoma (SOP) and extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP). Most primary EMPs occur in the upper gastrointestinal tract, head and neck, upper respiratory system, central nervous system, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys.

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The prostate is a rare site for the occurrence of lymphoma and accounts for 0.1% of newly diagnosed lymphomas. Patients with prostatic lymphoma exhibit similar symptoms to that of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate carcinoma, such as obstructive and irritative urinary signs.

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The multicohort phase 1b KEYNOTE-013 study (NCT01953692) evaluated the safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab in patients with relapsed or refractory NHL who were ineligible for or failed hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Patients received pembrolizumab (cohort 4) or pembrolizumab plus lenalidomide (cohort 5). Primary end points were safety and objective response rate (ORR) per IWG 2007 criteria.

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The abscopal effect is a systemic immune response mediated by the effects of radiation on the immune system. This effect has been observed in a number of cancer types in addition to lung cancer, including but not limited to renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, lymphoma, and melanoma. The combination of radiation therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) acts at several stages of the antitumor response, suggesting a mechanism of synergy between the two modalities.

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Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a systemic disease in which different systems such as kidneys, heart, and lungs are affected by the deposition of amyloid, a form of fibrillary protein. Usually, it occurs in patients with pre-existing diagnoses of plasma cell dyscrasias and is rarely seen in the concurrence of marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). Earlier interventions with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone in conjunction with newer therapies such as bortezomib, carfilzomib or lenalidomide, and pomalidomide are being used to treat patients with AL amyloidosis.

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Amyloidosis is a rare disease that involves the extracellular deposition of abnormally folded proteins, precipitating organ dysfunction. Pulmonary amyloidosis is frequently characterized by the AL amyloid subtype and can be localized or associated with systemic involvement, presenting in a nodular, diffuse alveolar-septal, or tracheobronchial pattern. Presentation of disease can vary from clinically silent to severe.

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Identifying effective combination regimens is a high priority in multiple myeloma (MM), as most patients eventually become refractory to their current treatments. In this study, we investigated whether the proteasome inhibitor (PI) ixazomib could delay disease progression among patients who failed regimens containing another PI, bortezomib or carfilzomib. This phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized study enrolled patients who were refractory to a previous regimen containing bortezomib or carfilzomib.

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Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma confined to the brain, leptomeninges, spinal cord, or eyes without systemic involvement. Nearly half of patients with PCNSL who achieve complete remission, relapse within five years. The majority of patients who relapse have a local recurrence.

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Increased risk for the development of therapy-induced myeloid leukemia following the treatment of breast cancer has typically been associated with the use of regimens containing anthracyclines or alkylating agents. We present two cases of estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (ER+/PR+/HER2+) breast cancer patients, treated with a non-anthracycline, non-alkylating regimen of trastuzumab, carboplatin, docetaxel, and pertuzumab (TCHP), who developed therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) within 30 months of the completion of treatment. Both patients had marked cytogenetic abnormalities, including deletions of chromosomes 5 and 7, and highly aggressive disease that resulted in a poor prognosis.

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Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents around one quarter of non-Hodgkin lymphomas in both the United States and globally. The activated B-cell (ABC) subtype of DLBCL is associated with higher relapse rates and a worse prognosis when treated with standard regimens in comparison to other subtypes of DLBCL. Recent studies have demonstrated a potential benefit with combination of dose-adjusted rituximab, etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (DA-REPOCH) in comparison to standard combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) in ABC DLBCL patients.

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Purpose: Addressing unwarranted clinical variation in oncology is a high priority for health systems that aspire to ensure consistent levels of high-quality and cost-effective care. Efforts to improve clinical practice and standardize care have proven challenging. Advocate Physician Partners undertook a patient simulation-based practice measurement and feedback project that was focused on breast and lung cancer to engage oncologists in the care standardization process.

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The case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with stage IV adenocarcinoma of the left lung and a large left adrenal metastasis is presented. Following local radiation therapy to the left lung and nivolumab, she is now disease free 4.5 years from the time of the diagnosis.

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Background: Double-hit lymphomas (DHLs) are high-grade diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with concurrent translocations involving myc and bcl-2 and/or bcl-6. A patient with DHL often has advanced disease at presentation and typically responds poorly to standard therapy with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone). More intensive treatment regimens have been studied; however, few data are available on the outcomes in elderly patients (aged > 70 years) treated with these therapies.

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Objective: Neuropathy is an important complication that may limit treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma. Previous studies have focused on treatment efficacy and have shown that retreatment with bortezomib (BTZ) is an effective treatment option. The goal of this study was to focus on the clinical manifestations of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and to retrospectively compare the incidence and severity of PN between the initial BTZ regimen and upon retreatment.

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Background: Sorafenib promotes apoptosis through downstream pathways that can be deregulated in CRPC. We hypothesized that sorafenib could overcome chemotherapy resistance in CRPC.

Patients And Methods: Eligible patients were those whose disease had progressed during chemotherapy (docetaxel or mitoxantrone) or within 12 weeks of stopping either.

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Purpose: To investigate the toxicity and efficacy of GM-CSF in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients who maximized their response to systemic chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: CRPC patients who maximized their response to either docetaxel or mitoxantrone chemotherapy were eligible if they demonstrated adequate performance status, liver, kidney, and bone marrow function. Maximum response to chemotherapy was defined as either receiving at least 8 cycles of chemotherapy without radiographic or biochemical progression, receiving less than 8 cycles as long as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) changes by less than 10%, or being off chemotherapy for less than 12 weeks without disease progression.

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Background: Currently, no standard therapy exists for patients with relapsed and/or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who are ineligible for transplantation or who have failed after bone marrow transplantation. The authors of this report investigated the safety and efficacy of clofarabine (CLO) in these patients.

Methods: In a 2-step, open-label study, CLO (as a 1-hour intravenous infusion given daily for 5 days) was given every 28 days (maximum, 6 cycles).

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We compared outcomes of 916 diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients aged >or=18 years undergoing first autologous (n = 837) or myeloablative (MA) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) (n = 79) between 1995 and 2003 reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Median follow-up was 81 months for allogeneic HCT versus 60 months for autologous HCT. Allogeneic HCT recipients were more likely to have high-risk disease features including higher stage, more prior chemotherapy regimens, and resistant disease.

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Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of single-agent erlotinib in chemotherapy-naive castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Methods: Eligible patients received erlotinib at 150 mg daily until disease progression. Toxicity was assessed every 2 weeks and responses every 8 weeks.

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To compare the clinical outcomes of older (age > or =55 years) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients with younger NHL patients (<55 years) receiving autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) while adjusting for patient-, disease-, and treatment-related variables, we compared autologous HCT outcomes in 805 NHL patients aged > or =55 years to 1949 NHL patients <55 years during the years 1990-2000 using data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). In multivariate analysis, older patients with aggressive histologies were 1.86 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.

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Purpose: Preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy is a standard treatment for most patients with rectal cancer. We aimed to determine efficacy and tolerability of preoperative mitomycin, fluorouracil (5-FU), and leucovorin (LV) concurrent with hyperfractionated radiation therapy (RT) followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with clinical stage II/III disease were treated with mitomycin 10 mg/m(2) on day 1, continuous venous infusion 5-FU 600 mg/m(2) per day for 96 hours, and oral LV 25 mg every 6 hours on days 1-5.

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Purpose: In the United States, lung cancer represents the third most common cancer, causing the most cancer-related deaths, with treatment advances minimally affecting 5-year survivals. Erb-B family receptor elevations are found in many non-small cell lung cancer tumors, making this receptor family a drug target with potential for improving survival.

Design: Chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer were enrolled who had at least one elevated tumor-expressed member of the erb-B family receptors.

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