Publications by authors named "Juhee Song"
Background: Hyponatraemia in cancer patients admitted to the hospital is associated with longer stays, higher costs and increased mortality. We examined the impact of hyponatraemia correction on survival in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.
Methods: We reviewed records of patients with solid tumours who were hospitalized between January 2018 and December 2022 with serum sodium ≤125 mEq/l at admission.
Background: Talabostat, an oral small molecule inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidases (DPP4 and DPP8/9), has shown synergistic activity with immune checkpoint inhibitors in preclinical studies. This open label, phase 2 basket trial assessed the antitumor activity of combining talabostat and pembrolizumab (anti-programmed death-1 antibody) in advanced solid tumor patients.
Methods: The primary objective was assessment of dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rates in the first six patients (lead-in stage) and response rate (efficacy stage; included cohort A [checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) naive] and cohort B [ICI pretreated]) for the study treatment using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.
Background: Convergent data suggest that advanced prostate cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD) share biological vulnerabilities that may be linked to adiposity. Here we explore whether leptin, as a marker and mediator of adiposity, could link prostate cancer to CHD.
Methods: Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) enrolled in a phase II trial (NCT02703623) studying androgen deprivation therapy, abiraterone, prednisone, and apalutamide were eligible if they had plasma and a chest CT scan available.
Introduction: Prior studies of patients treated for breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC) report mixed outcomes and are limited by substandard treatment, small cohorts, and short follow-up. This study compared survival outcomes of PrBC patients treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy with nonpregnant patients matched by age, year of diagnosis, stage, and subtype.
Methods: PrBC patients treated from 1989 to 2022 on prospective institutional protocols were eligible.
Background: Computed tomography to body divergence (CTBD) is one of the main barriers to bronchoscopic techniques for the diagnosis of peripherally located lung nodules. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) guidance is being rapidly adopted to correct for this phenomenon and to potentially increase diagnostic outcomes. In this trial, we hypothesized that the addition of mobile CBCT (m-CBCT) could improve the rate of tool in lesion (TIL) and the diagnostic yield of shape-sensing robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (SS-RAB).
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- The study aimed to analyze the outcomes of different mammography screening strategies for breast cancer, focusing on various start and stop ages as well as screening intervals.
- Using six cancer modeling models, the research found that biennial digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) screening starting at ages 40, 45, or 50 significantly reduced breast cancer deaths, with the most effective strategy a 30% reduction in mortality for those screened from age 40 to 74.
- While annual screening offered higher benefits, it also led to increased false-positive recalls and overdiagnosis, showing a critical need to balance benefits against potential harms in screening recommendations.
Article Synopsis
- Hypomagnesemia, a common side effect of platinum-based chemotherapy, can negatively impact overall survival, and traditional magnesium replacements may not be effective.
- This study examined the feasibility of a magnesium-rich diet in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing carboplatin treatment, providing weekly education to enhance dietary intake.
- Results showed that adherence to the diet led to increased magnesium consumption and reduced the incidence of hypomagnesemia, suggesting dietary approaches can help maintain magnesium levels during chemotherapy.
Article Synopsis
- Atelectasis is a common issue during bronchoscopy under general anesthesia and can negatively impact navigation and diagnostic results; the study aimed to assess the severity of this condition in patients.
- The researchers developed an Atelectasis Severity Score System (ASSESS) to classify the severity of atelectasis based on specific lung zones, finding that 47% of patients had mild and moderate atelectasis, while 6% experienced severe atelectasis.
- Results indicated that a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) increases the odds of developing greater severity of atelectasis, whereas the VESPA trial reduced these odds, highlighting the need for preventive strategies in at-risk patients, especially in specific lung zones.
Importance: Breast cancer mortality in the US declined between 1975 and 2019. The association of changes in metastatic breast cancer treatment with improved breast cancer mortality is unclear.
Objective: To simulate the relative associations of breast cancer screening, treatment of stage I to III breast cancer, and treatment of metastatic breast cancer with improved breast cancer mortality.
Evaluation of Midodrine Utilization in Patients with Cancer and Heart Failure.
Cardiovasc Drugs Ther
January 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the safety and cardiovascular outcomes of cancer patients with heart failure (HF) who were treated with midodrine for hypotension.
- A total of 85 patients were analyzed, showing various types of HF, with the primary reason for midodrine use being orthostatic hypotension; side effects were generally minimal.
- No significant differences in heart function or mortality risk were found between those who continued midodrine and those who stopped, although elevated creatinine levels were linked to higher mortality risk.
Background: Sapanisertib (CB-228/TAK-228) is a potent, selective ATP-competitive, dual inhibitor of mTORC1/2. Metformin is thought to inhibit the mTOR pathway through upstream activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) suggesting combination therapy may enhance antitumor activity of sapanisertib. We report preliminary safety, tolerability, and efficacy from the dose-escalation study of sapanisertib in combination with metformin in patients with advanced solid tumors.
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- Patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases (pAIDs) are often excluded from clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) due to concerns about exacerbating their conditions.
- This study compared the safety of ICI combinations versus monotherapy in cancer patients with pAIDs, focusing on immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and treatment outcomes like progression-free survival (PFS).
- Results indicated that while ICI combination therapy had a higher incidence of any-grade irAEs compared to monotherapy, overall, the toxicity profile was manageable, and no treatment-related deaths occurred, suggesting that the combination therapy could be safe for these patients.
Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) challenge the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We performed a retrospective study to evaluate response to infliximab for immune-related adverse event management, and infliximab's effect on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with a focus on melanoma and genitourinary cancers. We retrospectively reviewed records of all cancer patients exposed to infliximab after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment from 2004 to 2021 at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Immune checkpoint blockade has shown mixed results in advanced/recurrent gynecologic malignancies. Efficacy may be improved through costimulation with OX40 and 4-1BB agonists. The authors sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of avelumab combined with utomilumab (a 4-1BB agonist), PF-04518600 (an OX40 agonist), and radiotherapy in patients with recurrent gynecologic malignancies.
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- Up to 20% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) experience brain metastasis, and this study investigates the safety of combining stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab and ipilimumab) for these patients.
- A total of 13 patients were enrolled, with 10 evaluable for dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), and only one patient experienced a DLT, indicating the treatment is generally well-tolerated.
- The estimated 4-month intracranial progression-free survival rate was 70.7%, suggesting that this combination therapy could be effective for treating brain metastasis in NSCLC patients.
Background: Management of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is important as they cause treatment interruption or discontinuation, more often seen with combination immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Here, we retrospectively evaluated the safety and effectiveness of anti-interleukin-6 receptor (anti-IL-6R) as therapy for irAEs.
Methods: We performed a retrospective multicenter study evaluating patients diagnosed with de novo irAEs or flare of pre-existing autoimmune disease following ICI and were treated with anti-IL-6R.
Background: Patients with gastrointestinal cancer (GICA) are at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Data from randomized clinical trials in cancer-associated VTE suggest that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) conferred similar or superior efficacy but a heterogeneous safety profile in patients with GICA. We compared the safety and effectiveness of DOACs in patients with GICA and VTE at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Despite the clinical benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), patients with a viral hepatitis have been excluded from clinical trials because of safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence rate of adverse events (AEs) in patients with viral hepatitis who received ICIs for cancer treatment.
Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in patients with cancer and concurrent hepatitis B or C, who had undergone treatment with ICI at MD Anderson Cancer Center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019.
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are indicators of metastatic spread and progression. In a longitudinal, single-center trial of patients with metastatic breast cancer starting a new line of treatment, a microcavity array was used to enrich CTCs from 184 patients at up to 9 timepoints at 3-month intervals. CTCs were analyzed in parallel samples from the same blood draw by imaging and by gene expression profiling to capture CTC phenotypic plasticity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: This study examined the role of echocardiographic and cardiac histomorphology parameters in predicting mortality in patients with cardiac AL amyloidosis.
Methods: Patients with endomyocardial biopsy-proven cardiac AL amyloidosis treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 6/2011 and 6/2020 were identified. Stored echocardiographic images and endomyocardial biopsy samples were processed for myocardial strain analysis and a detailed histomorphology characterization.
Bioprosthetic valve monitoring in patients with carcinoid heart disease.
Front Cardiovasc Med
January 2023
Background: Carcinoid heart disease (CnHD) is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoid syndrome. Although valve replacement surgery appears to decrease all-cause mortality in patients with advanced CnHD, few studies have investigated the outcomes of patients after valve replacement.
Methods: We conducted a multi-institution retrospective registry of patients who received both tricuspid and pulmonic bioprosthetic valve (TV/PV) replacements for advanced CnHD from November 2005 to March 2021.
Purpose: Dose constraints for reirradiation of recurrent primary brain tumors are not well-established. This study was conducted to prospectively evaluate composite dose constraints for conventionally fractionated brain reirradiation.
Methods And Materials: A single-institution, prospective study of adults with previously irradiated, recurrent brain tumors was performed.
Background: Management of coronary artery disease (CAD) is unique and challenging in cancer patients. However, little is known about the outcomes of using BMS or DES in these patients. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in cancer patients who were treated with bare metal stents (BMS) vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving cancer therapy is thus far not well managed with standard approaches. We aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of methylene blue (MB) oral rinse for OM pain in patients receiving cancer therapy.
Methods: In this randomized, single-blind phase 2 clinical trial, patients were randomized to one of four arms: MB 0.