Introduction: Understanding the mutational landscape of colon cancer (CC) is crucial for targeted therapy development. Microsatellite instability (MSI-H), rat sarcoma (RAS), and B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) mutations (MT) are pivotal markers. Further investigation into clinicopathological features of RAS and BRAF MT in microsatellite stable (MSS) and MSI-H tumors is warranted.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: FAPI-PET/CT exhibits high tumor uptake and low background accumulation, enabling high-sensitivity tumor detection. We compared the diagnostic performance of Ga-FAPI-46 PET/CT plus contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT), F-FDG PET/CT plus CE-CT, and standalone CE-CT in patients with various malignancies.
Methods: 232 patients underwent Ga-FAPI-46 PET/CT,F-FDG PET/CT, and CE-CT each within 4 weeks.
Purpose: Cancer care in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic was affected by resource scarcity and the necessity to prioritize medical measures. This study explores ethical criteria for prioritization and their application in cancer practices from the perspective of German oncologists and other experts.
Methods: We conducted fourteen semi-structured interviews with German oncologists between February and July 2021 and fed findings of interviews and additional data on prioritizing cancer care into four structured group discussions, in January and February 2022, with 22 experts from medicine, nursing, law, ethics, health services research and health insurance.
Tumoral fibroblast activation protein expression is associated with proliferation and angiogenesis and can be visualized by PET/CT. We examined the prognostic value of [Ga]Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) (Ga-FAPI)-46 PET/CT for different tumor entities in patients enrolled in 2 prospective imaging studies (NCT05160051, = 30; NCT04571086, = 115). Within 4 wk, 145 patients underwent Ga-FAPI-46 and [F]FDG (F-FDG) PET/CT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a scarcity of resources with various effects on the care of cancer patients. This paper provides an English summary of a German guideline on prioritization and resource allocation for colorectal and pancreatic cancer in the context of the pandemic. Based on a selective literature review as well as empirical and ethical analyses, the research team of the CancerCOVID Consortium drafted recommendations for prioritizing diagnostic and treatment measures for both entities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is highly expressed on carcinoma-associated fibroblasts in the stroma of pancreatic cancer and thus is a promising target for imaging and therapy. Preliminary data on PET imaging with radiolabeled FAP inhibitors (FAPIs) demonstrate superior tumor detection. Here we assess the accuracy of FAP-directed PET in patients with pancreatic cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant of concern (VOC) and subvariants like BQ.1.1 demonstrate immune evasive potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Microsatellite instability (MSI) due to mismatch repair (MMR) defects accounts for 15-20% of colon cancers (CC). MSI testing is currently standard of care in CC with immunohistochemistry of the four MMR proteins representing the gold standard. Instead, label-free quantum cascade laser (QCL) based infrared (IR) imaging combined with artificial intelligence (AI) may classify MSI/microsatellite stability (MSS) in unstained tissue sections user-independently and tissue preserving.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: There is evidence for mental burden and moral distress among healthcare workers during the pandemic. However, there is scarcity of analyses regarding possible correlations of mental burden and moral distress in this context. This study provides data to quantify mental burden and possible associations with moral distress among physicians and nurses working in oncology in Germany.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe present an overview of our prospective fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) registry study across a 3-y period, with head-to-head comparison of tumor uptake in Ga-FAPI and F-FDG PET, as well as FAP immunohistochemistry. This is an interim analysis of the ongoing Ga-FAPI PET prospective observational trial at our department. Patients who underwent clinical imaging with Ga-FAPI PET between October 2018 and October 2021 were included.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCyclic nucleotides (cAMP, cGMP) play a major role in normal and pathologic signaling. Beyond receptors, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases; (PDEs) rapidly convert the cyclic nucleotide in its respective 5'-nucleotide to control intracellular cAMP and/or cGMP levels to maintain a normal physiological state. However, in many pathologies, dysregulations of various PDEs (PDE1-PDE11) contribute mainly to organs and tissue failures related to uncontrolled phosphorylation cascade.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn recent years, deep learning has been the key driver of breakthrough developments in computational pathology and other image based approaches that support medical diagnosis and treatment. The underlying neural networks as inherent black boxes lack transparency and are often accompanied by approaches to explain their output. However, formally defining explainability has been a notorious unsolved riddle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Refusal to receive SARS-CoV-2 vaccination poses a threat to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about German cancer patients' attitude towards and experience with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
Methods: Patients were enrolled between 04-11/2021.
Background: Colon cancer (CC) is a disease of elderly patients (pts.) with a median age of 73 years (yrs.).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) leads to neuronal and endothelial damage that activate the release of proinflammatory mediators such as lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), which lead to the development of brain edema injury. Most of statins produce differential effects on Lp-PLA2 activity and mass with a comparable reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) serum levels.
Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the differential effect of different statins on the mass of level of Lp-PLA2 in patients with AIS.
Background: Guidance regarding adjuvant treatment decisions in stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) remains uncertain due to lack of predictive clinical or molecular markers. Recently, postoperative circulating tumour (ct)DNA has been demonstrated to be a strong prognostic marker in early colon cancer.
Patients And Methods: CIRCULATE enrols patients with stage II microsatellite stable CRC in Germany (AIO) and Austria (ABCSG).
COVID-19 pathology is mainly associated to a pulmonary disease which sometimes might result in an uncontrollable storm related to inflammatory diseases which could be fatal. It is well known that phosphodiesterase enzyme type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), such as sildenafil, have been successfully developed for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; interestingly, more recently, it was shown that PDE5Is might be also anti-inflammatory. Therefore, it would be of interest to question about the use of PDE5Is to overcome the COVID-19 storm, as much as PDE5 is mainly present in the lung tissues and vessels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the binding-site and entry-point for SARS-CoV-2 in human and highly expressed in the lung. Cigarette smoking (CS) is the leading cause of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Chronic CS leads to upregulation of bronchial ACE2 inducing a high vulnerability in COVID-19 smoker patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFounded in 1919, the Society of Biology of Strasbourg (SBS) is a learned society whose purpose is the dissemination and promotion of scientific knowledge in biology. Subsidiary of the Society of Biology, the SBS celebrated its Centenary on Wednesday, the 16th of October 2019 on the Strasbourg University campus and at the Strasbourg City Hall. This day allowed retracing the various milestones of the SBS, through its main strengths, its difficulties and its permanent goal to meet scientific and societal challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNephritis remains the most common severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus in which auto-antibodies mediate chronic inflammation and kidney damage. cAMP-phosphodiesterases regulate sodium excretion and inflammation in various tissues. How cAMP elevation can reduce systemic inflammation and suppress kidney inflammation and damage remains elusive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic inflammation is a deleterious process occurring in several pulmonary diseases; it is a driving force promoting tumorigenesis. By regulating local cyclic nucleotide concentration, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE) govern important biological processes, including inflammation and proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of NCS 613, a specific PDE4 inhibitor, on TNFα-treated human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) and on human lung adenocarcinoma explants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripheral arterial disease has high incidence and complication rates. Vessel recanalization represents the main therapy. However, it induces reperfusion injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetabolic diseases have a tremendous impact on human morbidity and mortality. Numerous targets regulating adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) have been identified for treating the metabolic syndrome (MetS), and many compounds are being used or developed to increase AMPK activity. In parallel, the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase families (PDEs) have emerged as new therapeutic targets in cardiovascular diseases, as well as in non-resolved pathologies.
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