Avelumab for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma-A multicenter real-world experience in Israel.

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy of the skin, affecting predominantly the fair-skinned older population exposed to high levels of ultraviolet light. Immune suppression is considered a significant risk factor. With the recent advances in the field of immunotherapy, the treatment paradigm for advanced MCC, traditionally based on chemotherapy, has largely shifted to anti-PD-L1 and PD-1 agents such as avelumab and pembrolizumab, respectively.

COVID-19 in a patient receiving adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy with granulocyte olony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support: A case report.

Patients receiving chemotherapy are at high risk for severe infections and complications such as acute respiratory syndrome. The most commonly used adjuvant chemotherapy protocols (docetaxel-cyclophosphamide every 3 weeks or the dose-dense regimen, doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide every 2 weeks followed by paclitaxel) incorporate granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). G-CSF is routinely administered to prevent chemotherapy-associated neutropenia but often results in significant neutrophilia.

The relationship between serum levels of prolactin and growth hormone in the early postnatal period.

BackgroundIn the neonatal period, the pituitary hormones including prolactin (PRL) and human growth hormone (hGH) are secreted in high amounts due to immature feedback mechanisms. As both hormones are secreted in part by the same somatomammotrophic cells, we investigated their relationship in newborns with respect to sex, gestational week, method of delivery, and anthropometric data.MethodsThe serum levels of PRL and hGH were measured in blood drawn from 225 newborns.