Patient-Representative Cell Line Models in a Heterogeneous Disease: Comparison of Signaling Transduction Pathway Activity Between Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines and Ovarian Cancer.

: Advances in treatment options have barely improved the prognosis of ovarian carcinoma (OC) in recent decades. The inherent heterogeneity of OC underlies challenges in treatment (development) and patient stratification. One hurdle for effective drug development is the lack of patient-representative disease models available for preclinical drug research.

Evaluation of the recently established Dutch nationwide Archipelago of Ovarian Cancer Research biobank.

Fundamental and translational research in ovarian cancer aims to enhance understanding of disease mechanisms and improve treatment and survival outcomes. To support this, we established the Dutch multicenter, interdisciplinary Archipelago of Ovarian Cancer Research (AOCR) infrastructure, which includes a nationwide biobank. In this study, we share our experiences in establishing the infrastructure, offer guidance for similar initiatives, and evaluate the AOCR patient cohort.

Geology defines microbiome structure and composition in nunataks and valleys of the Sør Rondane Mountains, East Antarctica.

Understanding the relation between terrestrial microorganisms and edaphic factors in the Antarctic can provide insights into their potential response to environmental changes. Here we examined the composition of bacterial and micro-eukaryotic communities using amplicon sequencing of rRNA genes in 105 soil samples from the Sør Rondane Mountains (East Antarctica), differing in bedrock or substrate type and associated physicochemical conditions. Although the two most widespread taxa (Acidobacteriota and Chlorophyta) were relatively abundant in each sample, multivariate analysis and co-occurrence networks revealed pronounced differences in community structure depending on substrate type.

Phenotype-guided targeted therapy based on functional signal transduction pathway activity in recurrent ovarian cancer patients: The STAPOVER study protocol.

Objective: Ovarian cancer is the fifth cause of cancer-related death among women. The benefit of targeted therapy for ovarian cancer patients is limited even if treatment is stratified by molecular signature. There remains a high unmet need for alternative diagnostics that better predict targeted therapy, as current diagnostics are generally inaccurate predictors.

Functional estrogen receptor signal transduction pathway activity and antihormonal therapy response in low-grade ovarian carcinoma.

Background: Advanced low-grade ovarian carcinoma (LGOC) is difficult to treat. In several studies, high estrogen receptor (ER) protein expression was observed in patients with LGOC, which suggests that antihormonal therapy (AHT) is a treatment option. However, only a subgroup of patients respond to AHT, and this response cannot be adequately predicted by currently used immunohistochemistry (IHC).

The potential of RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling pathway inhibitors in ovarian cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) pathway plays a role in ovarian carcinogenesis. Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) frequently harbors activating MAPK mutations. MAPK inhibitors have been used in small subsets of ovarian carcinoma (OC) patients to control tumor growth.

Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Presumed Low- and Intermediate-Risk Endometrial Cancer Management (SLIM): A Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study in The Netherlands.

The aim was to investigate the incidence of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastases and the contribution of SLN mapping in presumed low- and intermediate-risk endometrial cancer (EC). A multicenter, prospective cohort study in presumed low- and intermediate-risk EC patients was performed. Patients underwent SLN mapping using cervical injections of indocyanine green and a minimally invasive hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Establishment of the Dutch Nationwide, Interdisciplinary Infrastructure and Biobank for Fundamental and Translational Ovarian Cancer Research: Archipelago of Ovarian Cancer Research.

Objectives: Ovarian cancer has the worst overall survival rate of all gynecologic malignancies. For the majority of patients, the 5-year overall survival rate of less than 50% has hardly improved over the last decades. To improve the outcome of patients with all subtypes of ovarian cancer, large-scale fundamental and translational research is needed.

Signal transduction pathway activity in high-grade serous carcinoma, its precursors and Fallopian tube epithelium.

Objective: To determine the activity of key signal transduction pathways in serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) and concurrent high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) and compare this to pathway activity in normal Fallopian tube epithelium (FTE).

Methods: We assessed mRNA expression levels of pathway-specific target genes with RT-qPCR in STIC and concurrent HGSC (n = 8) and normal FTE (n = 8). Subsequently, signal transduction pathway assays were used to assess functional activity of the androgen (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), Hedgehog (HH), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and canonical wingless-type MMTV integration site (Wnt) pathways.

Impact of COVID-19 on Primary Care Quality Measures in an Academic Integrated Health System.

Background: Access to primary care was hindered by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Objective: Evaluate changes in health screening rates before and during the pandemic.

Design: Retrospective analysis of health maintenance and disease management screening rates among primary care patients before and during the pandemic.

Ovarian cancer ascites induces skeletal muscle wasting in vitro and reflects sarcopenia in patients.

Background: Cachexia-associated skeletal muscle wasting or 'sarcopenia' is highly prevalent in ovarian cancer and contributes to poor outcome. Drivers of cachexia-associated sarcopenia in ovarian cancer remain elusive, underscoring the need for novel and better models to identify tumour factors inducing sarcopenia. We aimed to assess whether factors present in ascites of sarcopenic vs.

Cyclic activity of signal transduction pathways in fimbrial epithelium of the human fallopian tube.

Introduction: The local environment of the fallopian tube represents the optimal conditions for reproductive processes. To maintain tissue homeostasis, signal transduction pathways are thought to play a pivotal role. Enhancing our understanding of functional signal transduction pathway activity is important to be able to clarify the role of aberrant signal transduction pathway activity leading to female subfertility and other tubal diseases.

Utilizing point-of-care A1c to impact outcomes - can we make it happen in primary care?

Purpose Of Review: Hemoglobin A1c testing provides a marker of glycemic control and is the standard for diabetes risk assessment. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), only 67.3-71.

Sentinel lymph node identification in early stage ovarian cancer: is it still possible after prior tumor resection?

Objective: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection in ovarian cancer is feasible when tracers are injected before the pathological ovary is resected. This study aims to investigate whether the SLN identification is also feasible in patients whose ovarian tumor has already been resected with injection of the tracer into the ovarian ligaments stumps, i.e.

A guideline for the clinical management of basal cell naevus syndrome (Gorlin-Goltz syndrome).

 E. Epstein. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:203.

The effectiveness of monotherapy with PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors in ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the clinical benefit of monotherapy with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in patients diagnosed with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer and to investigate the predictive value of current PI3K/AKT/mTOR biomarkers on therapy response.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for articles reporting on treatment with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in ovarian cancer. The primary endpoint was defined as the clinical benefit rate (CBR), including the proportion of patients with complete (CR) and partial response (PR) and stable disease (SD).

Management Patterns for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Impact of a Patient Decision Aid.

Introduction: Decision aids aimed at men with benign prostatic hyperplasia used in clinical trials have decreased the use of procedures and affected elements of decisional quality. We employed an online, interactive decision aid for men with benign prostatic hyperplasia as a routine part of care with a urologist and tracked subsequent treatment choice. We further evaluated the role of patient preferences on treatment selection.

No influence of sarcopenia on survival of ovarian cancer patients in a prospective validation study.

Objective: Decrease in skeletal muscle index (SMI) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been associated with worse outcome in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. To validate these findings, we tested if a decrease in SMI was a prognostic factor for a homogenous cohort of patients who received NACT in the randomized phase 3 OVHIPEC-trial.

Methods: CT-scans were performed at baseline and after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage III ovarian cancer patients.

Survival of patients with early-stage cervical cancer after abdominal or laparoscopic radical hysterectomy: a nationwide cohort study and literature review.

Aim: Recently, the safety of laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) has been called into question in early-stage cervical cancer. This study aimed to evaluate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients treated with abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) and LRH for early-stage cervical cancer and to provide a literature review.

Methods: Patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2017 with International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (2009) stage IA2 with lymphovascular space invasion, IB1 and IIA1, were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry.

Feasibility of sentinel lymph node mapping of the ovary: a systematic review.

Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy is routinely performed in early ovarian cancer to define the stage of the disease. However, it may be associated with increased blood loss, operative time, and length of hospitalization. The sentinel lymph node technique has been shown to be safe and feasible in vulvar, uterine, and cervical cancer.

Sarcopenia and ovarian cancer survival: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function that occurs with advancing age and certain diseases. It is thought to have a negative impact on survival in cancer patients. Routine computed tomography imaging is often used to quantify skeletal muscle in cancer patients.

Decisional Quality Among Patients Making Treatment Decisions for Urolithiasis.

Objective: To measure decisional quality, physician loyalty, and treatment preference in patients diagnosed with urolithiasis, a "preference-sensitive" condition, to identify areas of improvement to be addressed by a targeted shared decision-making intervention.

Methods: We identified patients who presented for an initial consultation for urolithiasis from March 2016 to May 2017. Patients completed a 24-item patient experience questionnaire after the consultation which assessed decisional quality domains, physician loyalty, and treatment preference.