Anastomotic leak and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer.

Background: Anastomotic leaks (AL) cause significant morbidity after esophagectomy. Most patients receive neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NCR) prior to esophagectomy which has been associated with increase perioperative complications and mortality. We report on a comparison of AL rates in upfront surgical (UFS) and NCR patients.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Comparison of Race and Survival.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a high prevalence in blacks. South Carolina demographically has a high percentage of blacks. This study examines survival and recurrence associated with TNBC in black and white women.

Patterns of recurrence and long-term outcomes in patients who underwent pancreatectomy for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms with high grade dysplasia: implications for surveillance and future management guidelines.

Background: While intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) are thought to represent non-invasive, high-risk lesions, its natural history following resection is unknown.

Methods: A retrospective review of HGD-IPMN patients (1999-2015) was performed. Recurrence patterns and clinical outcomes following pancreatectomy were analyzed and the indications for surgery were explored based on current guidelines.

Hepatic Progression-free and Overall Survival After Regional Therapy to the Liver for Metastatic Melanoma.

Objectives: Regional therapy for metastatic melanoma to the liver represents an alternative to systemic therapy. Hepatic progression-free survival (HPFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of patients with liver metastases from cutaneous or uveal melanoma treated with yttrium-90 (Y90), chemoembolization (CE), or percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) was conducted.

Talimogene laherparepvec: overview, combination therapy and current practices.

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC, Imlygic, Amgen, CA, USA) is an oncolytic herpes simplex type 1 virus used as intralesional therapy for unresectable metastatic melanoma in a cutaneous, subcutaneous or nodal location. Talimogene laherparepvec selectively replicates within and lyses tumor cells while producing granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, which may promote an immune mediated antitumor response. The US FDA approved T-VEC in late 2015 following Phase I-III trials that demonstrated safety and efficacy.

Comparison of Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) and Conventional Planar Lymphoscintigraphy for Sentinel Node Localization in Patients with Cutaneous Malignancies.

Background: Accurate preoperative lymphoscintigraphy is vital to performing sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for cutaneous malignancies. Potential advantages of single-photon emission computed tomography with integrated computed tomography (SPECT/CT) include the ability to readily identify aberrant drainage patterns as well as provide the surgeon with three-dimensional anatomic landmarks not seen on conventional planar lymphoscintigraphy (PLS).

Methods: Patients with cutaneous malignancies who underwent SLNB with preoperative imaging using both SPECT/CT and PLS from 2011 to 2014 were identified.

Combining radiomic features with a miRNA classifier may improve prediction of malignant pathology for pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are pancreatic cancer precursors incidentally discovered by cross-sectional imaging. Consensus guidelines for IPMN management rely on standard radiologic features to predict pathology, but they lack accuracy. Using a retrospective cohort of 38 surgically-resected, pathologically-confirmed IPMNs (20 benign; 18 malignant) with preoperative computed tomography (CT) images and matched plasma-based 'miRNA genomic classifier (MGC)' data, we determined whether quantitative 'radiomic' CT features (+/- the MGC) can more accurately predict IPMN pathology than standard radiologic features 'high-risk' or 'worrisome' for malignancy.

Practical Issues for Retroperitoneal Sarcoma.

Background: Retroperitoneal sarcoma is rare. Using initial specimens on biopsy, a definitive diagnosis of histological subtypes is ideal but not always achievable.

Methods: A retrospective institutional review was performed for all cases of adult retroperitoneal sarcoma from 1996 to 2015.

Clinicopathologic and survival analysis of resected ampullary adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Ampullary adenocarcinoma (AAC) is a rare neoplasm. We sought to determine the clinicopathologic factors contributing to the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free (RFS) survival.

Methods: Patients (pts) with resected AAC were identified from 1996 to 2015 and reviewed for clinicopathologic factors and correlated with outcome.

Gastric duplication cyst: a rare entity.

Gastric duplication cysts are an uncommon finding, especially in the adult population. Presenting symptoms can be non-specific, but can include abdominal pain, nausea and emesis. In this report, we present a 28-year-old female diagnosed with a communicating gastric cyst with both gastric and duodenal mucosa, along with pancreatic tissue and no evidence of dysplasia or malignancy.

Is a Wider Margin (2 cm vs. 1 cm) for a 1.01-2.0 mm Melanoma Necessary?

Background: The current NCCN recommendation for resection margins in patients with melanomas between 1.01 and 2 mm deep is a 1-2 cm radial margin. We sought to determine whether margin width had an impact on local recurrence (LR), disease-specific survival (DSS), and type of wound closure.

Recurrence and survival analysis of resected soft tissue sarcomas of pelvic retroperitoneal structures.

Background: The purpose is to determine the clinicopathologic factors related to survival and recurrence of primary resected pelvic soft tissue sarcomas (STS).

Methods: Demographic/clinical variables were recorded.

Results: Thirty-five pts were identified.

Dermal melanoma: A report on prognosis, outcomes, and the utility of sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Introduction: Historically dermal melanoma (DM) has been labeled as either stage IIIB (in-transit) or stage IV (M1a) disease. We sought to investigate the natural history of DM and the utility and prognostic significance of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: Patients with DM undergoing SLNB at a single center from 1998 to 2009 were identified.

Sentinel lymph node mapping in melanoma in the twenty-first century.

The incidence of melanoma is increasing faster than any other cancer. The status of the regional nodal basin remains the most important prognostic factor. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is recommended for staging in patients diagnosed with intermediate-thickness melanoma (1.

Cationic amino acid transporter 2 regulates inflammatory homeostasis in the lung.

Arginine is an amino acid that serves as a substrate for nitric oxide synthase and arginase. As such, arginine has the potential to influence diverse fundamental processes in the lung. Here we report that the arginine transport protein, cationic amino acid transporter (CAT)2, has a critical role in regulating lung inflammatory responses.

Expression and regulation of small proline-rich protein 2 in allergic inflammation.

Asthma is a complex inflammatory pulmonary disorder that is on the rise despite intense ongoing research. We aimed to elucidate novel pathways involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Employing asthma models induced by different allergens (ovalbumin and Aspergillus fumigatus), we uncovered the involvement of two members of the small proline-rich protein (SPRR) family, SPRR2a and SPRR2b, known to be involved in epithelial differentiation but not allergic disease.

Negative regulation of eosinophil recruitment to the lung by the chemokine monokine induced by IFN-gamma (Mig, CXCL9).

Experimental analysis of allergic airway inflammation (AAI) in animals and humans is associated with coordinate gene induction. Using DNA microarray analysis, we have identified a large panel of AAI signature genes. Unexpectedly, the allergen-challenged lung (a T helper 2 microenvironment) was found to be associated with the expression of T helper 1-associated CXCR3 ligands, monokine induced by IFN-gamma (Mig), and IFN-gamma-inducible protein of 10 kDa (IP-10).

Transcript signatures in experimental asthma: identification of STAT6-dependent and -independent pathways.

The analysis of polygenic diseases such as asthma poses a challenging problem. In an effort to provide unbiased insight into disease pathogenesis, we took an empirical approach involving transcript expression profiling of lung tissue from mice with experimental asthma. Asthmatic responses were found to involve sequential induction of 4.