Publications by authors named "Justin W Magrath"

Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a highly aggressive pediatric cancer caused by a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 11 and 22, leading to the formation of the EWSR1::WT1 oncoprotein. DSRCT presents most commonly in the abdominal and pelvic peritoneum and remains refractory to current treatment regimens which include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. As a rare cancer, sample and model availability have been a limiting factor to DSRCT research.

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Article Synopsis
  • Desmoplastic small round cell tumors (DSRCT) are aggressive pediatric sarcomas linked to the EWSR1::WT1 fusion oncogene, with poor survival rates of 15% to 25% due to ineffective standard treatments.
  • The study demonstrated that targeting EWSR1::WT1 is crucial for DSRCT growth and identified its unique role in activating genes related to the cyclin D-CDK4/6-RB pathway.
  • Treatment with the FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib effectively reduced DSRCT growth in models, suggesting a promising new therapeutic option for this challenging cancer.
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Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, pediatric cancer caused by the EWSR1::WT1 fusion protein. DSRCT predominantly occurs in males, which comprise 80-90% of the patient population. While the reason for this male predominance remains unknown, one hypothesis is that the androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in DSRCT and elevated testosterone levels in males help drive tumor growth.

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Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is an aggressive pediatric cancer caused by the EWSR1-WT1 fusion oncoprotein. The tumor is refractory to treatment with a 5-year survival rate of only 15-25%, necessitating the development of novel therapeutics, especially those able to target chemoresistant subpopulations. Novel in vitro cancer stem cell-like (CSC-like) culture conditions increase the expression of stemness markers (SOX2, NANOG) and reduce DSRCT cell line susceptibility to chemotherapy while maintaining the ability of DSRCT cells to form xenografts.

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Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, pediatric cancer caused by the EWSR1::WT1 fusion protein. DSRCT predominantly occurs in males, which comprise 80-90% of the patient population. While the reason for this male predominance remains unknown, one hypothesis is that the androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in DSRCT and elevated testosterone levels in males help drive tumor growth.

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Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare pediatric cancer caused by the fusion oncogene. Despite initial response to chemotherapy, DSRCT has a recurrence rate of over 80% leading to poor patient prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of only 15-25%. Owing to the rarity of DSRCT, sample scarcity is a barrier in understanding DSRCT biology and developing effective therapies.

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Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT) is a rare and aggressive pediatric cancer driven by the fusion oncogene. Combinations of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are not curative, and the 5-years survival rate is less than 25%. One potential explanation for refractoriness is the existence of a cancer stem cell (CSC) subpopulation able escape current treatment modalities.

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Since the closure of Charity Hospital after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Student-Run Free Clinics have helped fill the resulting void in healthcare access for the underserved New Orleans population. To better understand the health insurance status and health outcomes of this patient population, 1036 patient records from seven New Orleans Student-Run Free Clinics were collected and analyzed between February 2017 and March 2020. Insurance status was significantly associated with gender, race, homelessness, and prior incarceration, but not with education.

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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the deadliest and most common form of primary brain tumor. Conventional treatments are ineffective at treating GBM due to the heterogeneous cellular makeup of the tumors as well as the existence of drug‑resistant cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs have the ability to initiate tumorigenesis and self‑renew, which can lead to recurrence.

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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and deadliest form of primary brain tumor. Despite treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy with the drug temozolomide, the expected survival after diagnosis remains low. The median survival is only 14.

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Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) are a unique subpopulation of cells within glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumors that possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into bulk tumor cells. GSCs are resistant to currently available treatments and are the likely culprit behind tumor relapse in GBM patients. However, GSCs are currently inaccessible to the larger scientific community because obtaining a sufficient number of GSCs remains technically challenging and cost-prohibitive.

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