Publications by authors named "Karam Ashouri"
Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL-1) is a member of the B-cell lymphoma 2 protein family and has anti-apoptotic functions. Deregulation of MCL-1 has been reported in several cancers, including lung and breast cancer. In the present study, the association of MCL-1 expression with molecular features in colorectal cancer (CRC) has been highlighted.
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- Combination immune checkpoint blockade targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 shows lower efficacy in acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) compared to cutaneous melanoma (CM), with an objective response rate of only 18.3%.
- In a study of 109 patients, most had advanced cancer (stage IV), with median progression-free survival of 4.2 months and overall survival of 17 months.
- Significant treatment-related adverse events were common, indicating similar toxicity levels, but specific demographic factors like Asian ethnicity were linked to worse overall survival, highlighting the need for new treatment strategies for ALM.
Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a high-risk subtype with a gene expression profile similar to Ph-positive ALL, due to activation of tyrosine kinase signalling. To understand the clinical implications of Ph-like ALL, this single-centre retrospective study evaluates outcomes in 268 adults, largely Hispanic ALL patients treated between 2013 and 2024, with a subgroup analysis of 139 haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients. ALL subtypes included 68 (25.
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- - Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer deaths globally, with immune checkpoint inhibitors improving outcomes mainly in a small subset (10%) of cases that have specific genetic features.
- - The review discusses key tissue markers like KRAS and HER2, their impact on treatment resistance, and advances in targeted therapies, emphasizing the importance of predictive biomarkers for personalized treatment in CRC.
- - It also highlights the potential of liquid biopsies and summarizes current evidence while pointing out gaps in knowledge, aiming to improve the application of biomarkers in clinical practice for CRC patients.
Background: The use of post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) is highly effective in preventing graft versus host disease (GVHD) for haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). There is limited data on the role of PTCy as GVHD prophylaxis in matched-sibling and fully matched-unrelated donor (MSD/MUD) allo-HSCT.
Methods: Our single-center retrospective study aims to compare outcomes of PTCy alone or in combination with mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus (PTCy/MMF/TAC) relative to methotrexate and tacrolimus (MTX/TAC).
Article Synopsis
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a key treatment for high-risk acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), but finding suitable HLA-matched donors can be challenging, especially in Hispanic patients.
- A study of 88 adult Hispanic B-cell ALL patients revealed that using matched sibling donors (MSD) led to worse relapse and survival rates compared to haploidentical donors, while matched unrelated donors (MUD) showed no significant difference.
- The findings emphasize the need for careful donor selection, as outcomes were better with younger haploidentical donors, indicating a potential strategy to enhance treatment success in this population.
Article Synopsis
- * High gene expression was linked to improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with cetuximab showing a survival advantage over bevacizumab in patients with high expression levels, while the opposite was true for low expression levels.
- * The study concluded that tumor gene expression is both prognostic and predictive, suggesting that measuring this expression can help tailor treatment, with patients having low expression potentially benefiting more from bevacizumab therapy.
Article Synopsis
- Detection of measurable residual disease (MRD) is crucial for predicting relapse and guiding treatment in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with next-generation sequencing (NGS) providing better sensitivity than traditional methods.
- This study compared MRD detection between NGS and flow cytometry (MFC) in 52 adult patients, finding that NGS was a more accurate predictor of relapse risk post-treatment.
- Results indicated that NGS could identify patients at higher risk of relapse, especially those initially deemed MRD negative by MFC, highlighting its potential to optimize adjuvant therapy decisions.
There are currently no studies examining healthcare access and utilization by Syrian Americans. A better understanding of the determinants of healthcare utilization among this group could help aid in the design of culturally competent programs. A self-administered survey was distributed at events across Southern California and Jacksonville, Florida from January 2018 to May 2019.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) provide a unique opportunity to non-invasively measure markers of neurodevelopment in survivors of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).
Objective: To characterize fetal brain maturation after laser surgery for TTTS by measuring brain volumes and cerebral metabolite concentrations using fetal MRI + MRS.
Study Design: Prospective study of dual surviving fetuses treated with laser surgery for TTTS.