Opium, phencyclidine, and crack cocaine smoking associations with lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers: exploratory findings from a case-control study in Los Angeles County.

Illicit drug use has become a global epidemic, yet it is unclear if drug smoking increases the risk of tobacco-related cancers. We aimed to evaluate hypothesized associations between smoking three drugs - opium, phencyclidine (PCP) and crack cocaine and lung and upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancers. A population-based case-control study with 611 lung cancer cases (50% male), 601 UADT cancers cases (76% male), and 1,040 controls (60% male) was conducted in Los Angeles County (1999-2004).

Programmed death ligand-1/programmed death-1 inhibition therapy and programmed death ligand-1 expression in urothelial bladder carcinoma.

After two decades of unchanged paradigms, the treatment strategies for advanced urothelial bladder cancer have been revolutionized by emerging programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)/programmed death-1 (PD1) inhibition therapy. Increased evidence is demonstrating the efficacy of PD-L1/PD1 inhibition therapy in both second-line and first-line settings. However, the percentage of patients who benefit from anti-PD-L1/anti-PD1 therapy is still low.

Piezoelectric needle sensor reveals mechanical heterogeneity in human thyroid tissue lesions.

Palpable thyroid lesions are common, and although mostly benign, lethal malignant nodules do occur and may be difficult to differentiate. Here, we introduce the use of a piezoelectric system called Smart-touch fine needle (or STFN) mounted directly onto conventional biopsy needles, to evaluate abnormal tissues, through quantitative real-time measurements of variations in tissue stiffness as the needle penetrates tissue. Using well-characterized biomaterials of known stiffness and explanted animal tissue models, we first established experimental protocols for STFN measures on biological tissues, as well as optimized device design for high signal-to-noise ratio.

Comparison of nylon-flocked swab and Dacron swab cytology for anal HSIL detection in transgender women and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.

Background: An anal histological high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (hHSIL) is an anal cancer precursor. Experts recommend Dacron swab anal cytology as a primary screen for anal hHSILs, especially among human immunodeficiency virus-infected and -uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM). Studies have shown that Dacron cytology inaccurately predicts anal hHSILs and results in unnecessary diagnostic procedures.

International telecytology: Current applications and future potential.

International telecytology can improve patient care by increasing access to regional and international expertise in cytopathology. The majority of international telecytology studies published to date have been based on static telepathology platforms. Overall concordance rates for these studies ranged from 71% to 93%.

Management of centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma: Update 2016.

Centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is sited in the central part of the liver and adjacent to main hepatic vascular structures. This special location is associated with an increase in the difficulty of surgery, aggregation of the recurrence disease, and greater challenge in disease management. This review summarizes the evolution of our understanding for centrally located HCC and discusses the development of treatment strategies, surgical approaches and recurrence prevention methods.

Case-control study of cumulative cigarette tar exposure and lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers.

The development of comprehensive measures for tobacco exposure is crucial to specify effects on disease and inform public health policy. In this population-based case-control study, we evaluated the associations between cumulative lifetime cigarette tar exposure and cancers of the lung and upper aerodigestive tract (UADT). The study included 611 incident cases of lung cancer; 601 cases of UADT cancers (oropharyngeal, laryngeal and esophageal cancers); and 1,040 cancer-free controls.

Association of sugary beverages with survival among patients with cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Purpose: The role of consumption of added sugars in cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) is unclear. We examined associations between sugary beverages and susceptibility to UADT cancer as well as overall survival among UADT cancer patients.

Methods: The association between dietary added sugar and susceptibility to UADT cancers or overall survival among 601 UADT cancer cases was evaluated using data from a population-based case-control study conducted in Los Angeles County.

Has Afirma gene expression classifier testing refined the indeterminate thyroid category in cytology?

Background: Thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) plays a pivotal role in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. Up to 30% of cases are diagnosed as indeterminate by FNA, including atypia of undetermined significance, follicular lesion of undetermined significance, suspicious for a follicular neoplasm, and follicular neoplasm, with approximately two-thirds having a benign outcome. The gene expression classifier (GEC) test is a molecular test for cases with indeterminate cytology.

Associations of immunity-related single nucleotide polymorphisms with overall survival among prostate cancer patients.

The progression of prostate cancer is influenced by systemic inflammation, and may be attributed, in part, to genetic predisposition. Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the immune response may help mediate prostate cancer progression. We analyzed data from a hospital-based case-control study of 164 prostate cancer patients and 157 healthy male controls from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Limbal Basal Cell Density Decreases in Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.

Purpose: To investigate changes in limbal basal epithelial cell density in eyes with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) using in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Design: Retrospective observational comparative study.

Methods: A total of 43 eyes of 30 patients diagnosed with LSCD were included in the study.

Fine Needle Elastography (FNE) device for biomechanically determining local variations of tissue mechanical properties.

Diseased tissues exhibit changes in mechanical properties and thus possess clinical diagnostic significance. We report the design and development of a Fine Needle Elastography (FNE) prototype device integrated with Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) needle that allows for quantitative and sensitive assessment of tissues and materials based on local variations in elastic, friction, and cutting forces on needle insertion. A piezoelectric force-sensor at the base of FNA needle measures the forces opposing needle penetration with micrometer scale resolution.

Comparative evaluation of ProEx C and ImmunoCyt/uCyt assays in atypical urine cytology.

Context: Detection of urothelial carcinoma by urine cytology can be challenging. Recently, ProEx C has been studied as a marker to improve detection of urothelial carcinoma. ProEx C is an assay targeting expression of topoisomerase II-α and the minichromosome maintenance protein-2 and is used to assist in diagnoses of gynecologic specimens.

Tobacco smoking, NBS1 polymorphisms, and survival in lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers with semi-Bayes adjustment for hazard ratio variation.

Purpose: Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NBS1 have been associated with susceptibility to lung and upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancers, their relations to cancer survival and measures of effect are largely unknown.

Methods: Using follow-up data from 611 lung cancer cases and 601 UADT cancer cases from a population-based case-control study in Los Angeles, we prospectively evaluated associations of tobacco smoking and 5 NBS1 SNPs with all-cause mortality. Mortality data were obtained from the Social Security Death Index.