Survivals following discontinuation of PD-1 inhibitor treatment in advanced melanoma patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate overall survival post-treatment discontinuation survival (OS PTD ) in advanced melanoma patients started on immunotherapy. This retrospective study included all unresectable advanced or metastatic melanoma patients who had permanent treatment discontinuation after receiving at least one cycle of palliative-intent programmed death-1 ± cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4 inhibitor treatment from 2014 to 2019. Indications of permanent treatment discontinuation included treatment completion, toxicity or progression.

Improved overall survival in dual compared to single immune checkpoint inhibitors in V600-negative advanced melanoma.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of dual versus single immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in wild-type advanced melanoma patients.

Materials & Methods: A retrospective study of all advanced wild-type melanoma patients on palliative-intent ICI between 2015 and 2020 (n = 67).

Results: Dual ICI had better overall survival (OS) when compared with single ICI in wild-type patients (hazard ratio: 0.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Women with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Breast Cancer Brain Metastases: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and the second leading cause of brain metastases (BrM). We assessed the treatment patterns and outcomes of women treated for breast cancer BrM at our institution in the modern era of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of women (≥18 years of age) with metastatic breast cancer who were treated with surgery, whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), or SRS to the brain at the Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada, between 2008 and 2018.

The incidence of brain metastases among patients with metastatic breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are living longer, but the development of brain metastases often limits their survival. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the incidence of brain metastases in this patient population.

Methods: Articles published from January 2000 to January 2020 were compiled from four databases using search terms related to breast cancer, brain metastasis, and incidence.

PD-L1 expression and clinical outcomes in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors: A meta-analysis.

Context: Five checkpoint inhibitors have been approved as 1st line (cisplatin-ineligible) or 2nd line therapies for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. As only about 30% of patients respond, the need for a biomarker for patient selection exists.

Objective: To determine if PD-L1 expression is a prognostic factor of objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) in patients with urothelial carcinoma being treated with checkpoint inhibitors.

Actions of a hydrogen sulfide donor (NaHS) on transient sodium, persistent sodium, and voltage-gated calcium currents in neurons of the subfornical organ.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenously found gasotransmitter that has been implicated in a variety of beneficial physiological functions. This study was performed to investigate the cellular mechanisms underlying actions of H2S previously observed in subfornical organ (SFO), where H2S acts to regulate blood pressure through a depolarization of the membrane and an overall increase in the excitability of SFO neurons. We used whole cell patch-clamp electrophysiology in the voltage-clamp configuration to analyze the effect of 1 mM NaHS, an H2S donor, on voltage-gated potassium, sodium, and calcium currents.

Hydrogen sulfide regulates cardiovascular function by influencing the excitability of subfornical organ neurons.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gasotransmitter endogenously found in the central nervous system, has recently been suggested to act as a signalling molecule in the brain having beneficial effects on cardiovascular function. This study was thus undertaken to investigate the effect of NaHS (an H2S donor) in the subfornical organ (SFO), a central nervous system site important to blood pressure regulation. We used male Sprague-Dawley rats for both in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Apelin acts in the subfornical organ to influence neuronal excitability and cardiovascular function.

Apelin is an adipocyte-derived hormone involved in the regulation of water balance, food intake and the cardiovascular system partially through actions in the CNS. The subfornical organ (SFO) is a circumventricular organ with identified roles in body fluid homeostasis, cardiovascular control and energy balance. The SFO lacks a normal blood-brain barrier, and is thus able to detect circulating signalling molecules such as angiotensin II and leptin.