Publications by authors named "Kristin C Jensen"
Article Synopsis
- * This review highlighted the needs of over 15,000 learners annually and uncovered challenging topics like molecular pathology, emphasizing areas that require more focus, such as quality and patient safety.
- * By applying HRO principles, USCAP was able to gain valuable insights into learner requirements and enhance decision-making for future national pathology education strategies.
Primary cutaneous signet-ring cell/histiocytoid carcinoma of the eyelid is a rare and aggressive neoplasm. Fewer than 50 cases have been reported in the literature, and the genetic driving mutations are unknown. Herein, we present a case of this rare disease along with the results of molecular profiling via targeted next-generation sequencing.
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- Radiologic screening for high-risk adults can lower lung cancer mortality, but few eligible individuals in the U.S. actually get screened.
- The study enhances a method called CAPP-Seq, which analyzes circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), showing that ctDNA is present in most early-stage lung cancer patients and can indicate prognosis.
- A new machine-learning tool, Lung-CLiP, accurately distinguishes early-stage lung cancer patients from similar-risk individuals, suggesting that using cfDNA in screenings could be beneficial in clinical settings.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how defects in the homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathway impact the effectiveness of standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and BRCA1/2 mutation-associated cases.
- Researchers analyzed tumor samples from 45 TNBC patients to determine HR deficiency status using HRD scores and BRCA1/2 mutation status, assessing their responses through residual cancer burden (RCB) index.
- Results showed that HR deficient patients had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR) to chemotherapy compared to non-deficient patients, indicating the importance of HR status in guiding treatment decisions.
Article Synopsis
- Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ (PLCIS) is a rare type of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) that was analyzed in 78 cases from 1998 to 2012.
- In this study, 60% of PLCIS cases were found to be associated with invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) upon final surgical excision.
- The data suggests that when PLCIS is diagnosed through core needle biopsy, complete surgical excision is recommended due to a significant risk of upgrading to invasive forms of cancer.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to clarify the geographic variability in the percentage of HER2-positive breast cancers across California counties from 2006 to 2011.
- Researchers used data from the California Cancer Registry and a logistic regression model to analyze how demographic and pathologic features affected HER2-positive rates by region.
- Findings revealed significant differences in HER2-positive percentages (11.6%-26%) across counties, linked to factors like tumor stage, size, grade, demographics, and socioeconomic status, which can help improve test quality and set laboratory benchmarks.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to create a radiogenomic map that connects CT image features with gene expression profiles in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
- A cohort of 113 NSCLC patients was analyzed using CT imaging and RNA sequencing to identify 10 coexpressed gene clusters (metagenes) linked to different molecular pathways.
- The resulting map showed 32 significant correlations between image features (like nodule shape and texture) and metagenes, indicating the potential for noninvasive identification of important molecular properties in NSCLC.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines how different antibodies affect immunohistochemical analysis of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) in breast cancer, which is critical for treatment decisions.
- Using data from the CAP proficiency testing survey involving over 1200 laboratories, it analyzes the performance of several antibody clones for ER and PgR across 80 cores each.
- Results show that while most labs scored similar for ER antibodies, the SP1 clone produced more positive results, indicating variability in ER testing accuracy, while PgR testing showed fewer discrepancies among the different antibodies.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers developed a new urine-based test using RNA sequencing to identify specific gene expressions in urine samples from bladder cancer patients and controls, ultimately focusing on three key markers for analysis.
- * The resulting diagnostic model showed high accuracy with an 88% sensitivity and 92% specificity, suggesting that this urine test could enhance bladder cancer detection and potentially decrease the need for invasive procedures.
Article Synopsis
- * A study (PrECOG 0105) evaluated this resistance mechanism among newly diagnosed patients with -mutant breast cancer who did not respond well to platinum-based therapy.
- * The study found that among 19 mutation carriers, one patient developed a reversion mutation during therapy, which may have led to poor treatment outcomes, early relapse, and eventual death from metastatic breast cancer.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the relationship between morphological features of breast tumors and their molecular characteristics to improve prognosis and therapy decisions.
- It involved a detailed analysis of 850 invasive breast cancer cases, focusing on how specific morphological traits correlate with genomic alterations and other molecular profiles.
- Findings revealed that certain morphological characteristics are linked to specific molecular subtypes and can provide relevant prognostic information, particularly for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, indicating the potential to refine classifications and improve treatment approaches.
Article Synopsis
- The 2013 CAP/ASCO HER2 Testing Guidelines Update redefined categories for HER2 testing in breast cancer, categorizing certain non-traditional results as amplified or equivocal.
- A study analyzed data from three institutions (Stanford, UCSF, UWMC) on 8,068 breast cancer cases between 2001-2014 to assess the characteristics of cancers with equivocal or non-classical HER2 FISH results.
- Findings revealed that 5.2% of cases were equivocal, with non-classical HER2 findings primarily showing a high prevalence of ER-positive and high-grade cancers, indicating a need to support the existing classification scheme for HER2 testing.
Article Synopsis
- BRCA1/2 mutations and some sporadic triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are sensitive to DNA-damaging treatments due to DNA repair defects, and new genomic instability measures have been developed.
- A combined homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) score, based on loss of heterozygosity (LOH), telomeric allelic imbalance (TAI), and large-scale state transitions (LST), was evaluated in neoadjuvant TNBC trials with platinum therapy to predict treatment response.
- Results indicate that HR deficiency significantly predicts positive treatment outcomes, such as low residual cancer burden and complete response, even in BRCA1/2 non-mutated tumors, suggesting HR deficiency is a reliable biomarker
Introduction: Screening mammography has contributed to a significant increase in the diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), raising concerns about overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Building on prior observations from lineage evolution analysis, we examined whether measuring genomic features of DCIS would predict association with invasive breast carcinoma (IBC). The long-term goal is to enhance standard clinicopathologic measures of low- versus high-risk DCIS and to enable risk-appropriate treatment.
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- * A new method using contrast-enhanced ultrasound with microbubbles aimed at tumor blood vessel signals could help improve diagnostic precision by targeting a molecule called B7-H3.
- * Research shows that B7-H3 levels are higher in breast cancer tissues, making it possible to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions accurately, providing a promising new approach for breast cancer detection.
Article Synopsis
- - The study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of iniparib combined with gemcitabine and carboplatin in treating early-stage triple-negative and BRCA1/2 mutation-associated breast cancer.
- - Involved 80 patients, with a 36% overall pathologic complete response rate, indicating a significant impact of the treatment.
- - The results revealed that patients with higher homologous recombination deficiency (HRD-LOH) scores had better responses, suggesting HRD-LOH could help identify effective treatment candidates even among those without BRCA mutations.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the unclear connection between mutated proteins, specifically EGFRvIII, and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in glioblastoma tumors, highlighting that EGFRvIII is often coexpressed with CD133, marking the most potent CSCs.
- - EGFRvIII-expressing cells show a higher ability for self-renewal and initiating tumors, while cells without this mutation express differentiation markers, indicating a distinct relationship between these markers and tumor behavior.
- - Targeting the EGFRvIII(+)/CD133(+) cancer stem cell population with a bispecific antibody significantly reduces tumor formation compared to targeting single markers, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for glioblastoma.
Article Synopsis
- Radiation to retropharyngeal nodes (RPN) can lead to higher levels of toxicity in patients.
- This study explored the factors linked to RPN involvement in 165 patients with oropharynx cancer.
- Key factors included advanced disease stages (N2c-3 or N2b), having three or more affected cervical lymph nodes, involvement of lymph nodes on the opposite side, or specific tumor locations.
Article Synopsis
- * The research shows significantly improved imaging signals in mouse models as breast tissue progresses from normal to invasive cancer, with high sensitivity (84%) and specificity (89%) for distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors.
- * In a screening trial, the VEGFR2-targeted technique demonstrated over 95% diagnostic accuracy for detecting DCIS and breast cancer, indicating its potential for early detection in women.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the approach to testing for HER2 status in breast cancer, comparing traditional methods to a unique reflex testing strategy used at the institution.
- Out of 60 HER2 FISH-ambiguous cases analyzed, 70% were assigned a definitive HER2 status through reflex IHC testing, while 30% remained ambiguous.
- Among patients who received anti-HER2 treatment, most were high-grade and HER2 IHC positive, with no recorded recurrences during the follow-up period.
Article Synopsis
- - Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a genetic condition linked to a high risk of various cancers, often appearing at a young age, and patients have a heightened reaction to radiation, leading to more secondary cancers.
- - This case report details a young woman with LFS who developed early-onset breast cancer; her treatment likely led to a secondary cancer due to radiation exposure.
- - Most breast cancers in LFS patients are triple-positive for certain hormone receptors, and genetic testing for TP53 mutations is recommended for early-onset breast cancer patients, even if their family history isn't suggestive of LFS.
Article Synopsis
- EGFRvIII is a variant of the epidermal growth factor receptor primarily found in glioblastoma, but this study explores its presence in primary breast carcinoma.
- The study confirmed the presence of EGFRvIII in breast cancer without any amplification or rearrangement of the EGFR gene, and noted that cells with EGFRvIII showed traits linked to cancer stem cells and enhanced tumor formation.
- EGFRvIII's influence on breast cancer stem cell characteristics is mediated through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and inhibiting this pathway can reverse its effects, highlighting a new role for EGFRvIII in breast tumor development.
Article Synopsis
- The study aims to create diagnostic criteria for urinary tract conditions using probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE), a high-resolution imaging technology.
- Patients undergoing certain surgeries were imaged with pCLE after fluorescein was used as contrast, allowing for comparison with standard tissue analysis.
- Results showed pCLE effectively highlighted differences between normal and cancerous bladder tissues, suggesting its potential to enhance diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract issues, especially bladder cancer.
Article Synopsis
- Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) is a new imaging technology that enables high-resolution in vivo visualization of the urinary tract, using two different probe sizes for comparison.
- A study involving 67 patients showed that the 2.6-mm probe offered superior image resolution, while the 1.4-mm probe provided a wider field view and better access to hard-to-reach areas in the bladder.
- The findings suggest that although the 2.6-mm probe is better for detailed cellular imaging, further improvements to the 1.4-mm probe's resolution and diagnostic accuracy are necessary for broader use in urinary tract assessments.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates how different stromal response patterns in breast and colorectal cancer tumors relate to their respective lymph node metastases, focusing on two specific signatures: fibroblast (DTF) and macrophage (CSF1).
- - Results showed a strong positive correlation between the CSF1 macrophage signature in primary tumors and their matched metastatic lymph nodes, while no correlation was found for the DTF fibroblast signature.
- - These findings suggest that the CSF1 macrophage response is preserved in metastases, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment.