Risk Factors Predicting Outcomes in Advanced Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have moved to the frontline in recent years to manage upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tumors, such as esophageal and gastric cancers. This retrospective review sheds light on real-world data on ICI-treated UGI tumors to identify risk factors (clinical and pathological) impacting the outcome other than traditional biomarkers (programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) or microsatellite instability status).

Methods: Patients with UGI tumors who received at least one dose of ICI for stage IV or recurrent disease between January 1, 2015, and July 31, 2021, at The Ohio State University were included in the study.

Mature MUC5AC Expression in Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Predicts Treatment Response and Outcomes.

Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has recently gained prominence. We investigated the clinical significance of mucin 5 AC (MUC5AC), which exists in two major glycoforms, a less-glycosylated immature isoform (IM) and a heavily glycosylated mature isoform (MM), as a biomarker in resected PDA. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 100 resected PDAs to evaluate the expression of the IM and MM of MUC5AC using their respective monoclonal antibodies, CLH2 (NBP2-44455) and 45M1 (ab3649).

Solid tumor growth depends on an intricate equilibrium of malignant cell states.

Control of cell identity and number is central to tissue function, yet principles governing organization of malignant cells in tumor tissues remain poorly understood. Using mathematical modeling and candidate-based analysis, we discover primary and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) organize in a stereotypic pattern whereby PDAC cells responding to WNT signals (WNT-R) neighbor WNT-secreting cancer cells (WNT-S). Leveraging lineage-tracing, we reveal the WNT-R state is transient and gives rise to the WNT-S state that is highly stable and committed to organizing malignant tissue.

Disparities in outcomes and access to therapy options in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities and patients with lower socioeconomic status. These social determinants of health (SDH) lead to disparities in access to care and outcomes. We aim to understand the relationship between SDH and survival and locoregional treatment options in HCC.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes for Patients with Ampullary Carcinoma Who Do Not Undergo Surgery.

Surgical resection is the standard of care for ampullary adenocarcinoma (AC). Many patients are ineligible due to comorbidities/advanced disease. Evidence for the optimal non-operative management of localized AC is lacking.