Publications by authors named "Meri Muminovic"
Integrative Therapies in Cancer Care: An Update on the Guidelines.
Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book
June 2024
Introduction: ASCO and the Society for Integrative Oncology have collaborated to develop guidelines for the application of integrative approaches in the management of anxiety, depression, fatigue and use of cannabinoids and cannabis in patients with cancer. These guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to improve outcomes and quality of life by enhancing conventional cancer treatment with integrative modalities.
Methods: All studies that informed the guideline recommendations were reviewed by an Expert Panel which was made up of a patient advocate, an ASCO methodologist, oncology providers, and integrative medicine experts.
Neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase () has been a remarkable therapeutic target for treating different malignancies, playing an essential role in oncogenic signaling pathways. Groundbreaking trials like NAVIGATE led to the approval of inhibitors by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat different malignancies, significantly impacting current oncology treatment. Accurate detection of gene fusion becomes very important for possible targeted therapy.
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- - Folate receptor α (FR) is a protein that helps cancer cells absorb folate and is often over-expressed in tumors, providing a target for cancer drugs like pemetrexed and methotrexate.
- - FR, encoded by the FOLR1 gene, is involved in crucial cellular processes like DNA synthesis and repair, making it important for tumor growth and development.
- - FRα is present in various cancers and is used in innovative therapies, including antibody-drug conjugates and CAR-T cell treatments, while also serving as a tool for tumor classification and evaluating chemotherapy resistance.
Because of diversities and disparities, lung cancer incidence and mortality rates among minorities are disproportionate compared with non-Hispanic White (NHW) populations. This review focuses on the disparities in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes that minorities, mainly Hispanic and Black, experience compared with NHW populations. Despite efforts such as improving the eligibility criteria for screening to improve lung cancer survival rates, disparities persist, particularly among minority populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTargeted therapy has become one of the standards of care for advanced lung cancer. More than 10 genetic aberrations have been discovered that are actionable and several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been approved to target each of them. Among several genetic aberrations that are actionable in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), translocations also known as gene fusion proteins, are found in only 1%-2% of the patient population.
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- Mobile health (mHealth) has the potential to improve healthcare decision-making in underserved communities, and a study was conducted to assess the readiness of these populations to use such technology.
- A survey of 560 low-acuity patients revealed that 96% had cellular internet access, with many willing to use mHealth tools for medical guidance, although access to traditional healthcare services varied by factors like age and gender.
- Most participants indicated they would opt for outpatient care over emergency department visits if an mHealth tool assessed their issue as low risk, highlighting a significant openness to mHealth for medical triage in the community.
Purpose Of Review: This review aims to emphasize how therapeutic inertia, the failure of clinicians to intensify treatment when blood pressure rises or remains above therapeutic goals, contributes to suboptimal blood pressure control in hypertensive populations.
Recent Findings: Studies reveal that the therapeutic inertia is quite common and contributes to suboptimal blood pressure control. Quality improvement programs and standardized approaches to support antihypertensive treatment intensification are ways to combat therapeutic inertia.