Publications by authors named "Monge J"

Patients participating in clinical trials are highly selected and may not represent the general population. The pivotal study of teclistamab (MajesTEC-1), a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)xCD3 bispecific antibody, demonstrated impressive response rates and progression free survival in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) with acceptable toxicity. We performed a retrospective study of 58 patients treated as standard of care at four US academic centers to determine how these results translated to the real-world.

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Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell neoplasm, which accounts for 1-2% of cancers and approximately 17% of hematological malignancies in the United States each year. Fifty percent of patients with symptomatic MM have three or more primary care visits before being referred to a specialist, which is greater than any other cancer. A delay in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma has been shown to negatively impact the clinical course of the disease; patients with longer diagnostic intervals have been shown to experience shorter disease-free survival and higher rates of treatment-related complications.

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Stress is the inherent sensation of being unable to handle demands and occurrences. If not properly managed, stress can develop into a chronic condition, leading to the onset of additional chronic health issues, such as cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes. Various stress meters have been suggested in the past, along with diverse approaches for its estimation.

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Over the past 30 years the incorporation of monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments into the management of hematologic malignancies has led to significant improvements in patient outcomes. The key limitation of mAb treatments is the necessity for target antigen presentation on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and costimulatory molecules to elicit a cytotoxic immune response. With the advent of bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), these limitations can be overcome through direct stimulation of cytotoxic T cells, thus limiting tumor cell evasion.

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  • BCMA-targeting CAR-T cells are now a key treatment for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, with patient outcomes linked to T cell expansion post-infusion.
  • A study involving 156 patients found that those with higher maximum absolute lymphocyte count (ALCmax) showed significantly improved depth of response and progression-free survival.
  • ALCmax over 1.0 × 10^3/μL correlates with better outcomes, while lower counts indicate a higher risk of disease progression, suggesting ALC can serve as an important prognostic marker.
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The Yamnaya archaeological complex appeared around 3300BCE across the steppes north of the Black and Caspian Seas, and by 3000BCE reached its maximal extent from Hungary in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. To localize the ancestral and geographical origins of the Yamnaya among the diverse Eneolithic people that preceded them, we studied ancient DNA data from 428 individuals of which 299 are reported for the first time, demonstrating three previously unknown Eneolithic genetic clines. First, a "Caucasus-Lower Volga" (CLV) Cline suffused with Caucasus hunter-gatherer (CHG) ancestry extended between a Caucasus Neolithic southern end in Neolithic Armenia, and a steppe northern end in Berezhnovka in the Lower Volga.

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Introduction And Objectives: The association between exercise and coronary atherosclerosis still remains unclarified. We aimed to analyze the prevalence of high coronary atherosclerotic burden in veteran athletes, considering cardiovascular (CV) risk and volume of exercise.

Methods: A total of 105 asymptomatic male veteran athletes (48±5.

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  • The study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of teclistamab in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, involving 110 patients treated at various institutions before August 2023.
  • The overall response rate to teclistamab was 62%, with a notable 51% achieving at least a very good partial remission, and median follow-up data showed promising progression-free survival rates at 3 and 6 months.
  • Side effects included cytokine release syndrome in 56% of patients, with primary prophylaxis using intravenous immunoglobulin significantly reducing infection risks.
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Background:  A comprehensive understanding of changes in health-related quality of life after head and neck cancer surgery is necessary for effective preoperative counseling. The goal of this study was to perform a longitudinal analysis of postoperative quality of life outcomes after fibula free flap (FFF) mandible reconstruction.

Methods:  A retrospective review was performed for all patients who underwent oncologic mandible reconstruction with an FFF between 2000 and 2021.

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Background: The choice of tissue type for free flap reconstruction of posterolateral mandible resections is dependent on patient and defect characteristics. We compared clinical and patient-reported outcomes following reconstruction of these defects with a soft tissue or bony free flap.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent posterolateral segmental mandibulectomy with immediate free flap reconstruction at MSKCC from 2006 to 2021.

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Background: Textured implants have been linked to breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Patients who undergo explantation have options for reconstruction, but data on safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are limited. The purpose of this study was to classify complications and PROs in patients opting for surgical management of textured implants.

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Objective: To conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the efficacy of immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) for decreasing the incidence of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).

Background: Despite encouraging results in small studies, an appropriately powered RCT on ILR has not been performed.

Methods: Women undergoing ALND for breast cancer were randomized in the operating room 1:1 to either ILR, if technically feasible, or no ILR (control).

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The urban peoples of the Swahili coast traded across eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean and were among the first practitioners of Islam among sub-Saharan people. The extent to which these early interactions between Africans and non-Africans were accompanied by genetic exchange remains unknown. Here we report ancient DNA data for 80 individuals from 6 medieval and early modern (AD 1250-1800) coastal towns and an inland town after AD 1650.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study focused on how secondary lymphedema affects the satisfaction and quality of life of patients who underwent breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, comparing those with and without lymphedema.
  • - A total of 322 patients were matched based on factors like age and treatment history, and it was found that those with lymphedema reported significantly lower scores in areas such as physical well-being and satisfaction with breasts, particularly at 1, 2, and 3 years post-surgery.
  • - The results highlight the negative impact of lymphedema on post-surgery quality of life, indicating the need for better prevention and treatment options for patients suffering from this condition.
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Hispanic patients have been reported to have an increased incidence of AML and possibly inferior outcomes compared to non-Hispanics. We conducted a retrospective study of 225 AML patients (58 Hispanic and 167 non-Hispanic) at two academic medical centers in Florida. Disease characteristics, cytogenetics, mutation profiles, and clinical outcomes were assessed.

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  • * Data from 11 heavily pretreated patients indicate that selinexor (X) regimens show strong effectiveness and produce lasting responses, even when used later in treatment.
  • * X-containing regimens resulted in better overall response rates and longer progression-free survival compared to previous anti-BCMA treatments, highlighting their potential in addressing an ongoing treatment gap.
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  • Recent research on newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) and its early forms, MGUS and smoldering myeloma, has identified high-risk patients likely to progress to more severe illness, termed "progressor" cases.
  • Progressor cases show higher mutation rates and specific gene mutations compared to non-progressors, indicating the potential for improved patient identification and intervention strategies.
  • In relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), a higher mutational burden and complex genetic changes, like chromosomal alterations, are linked to treatment resistance and worse survival outcomes.
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We present a case of monkeypox infection in a man presenting with genital and labial ulcers, followed by submandibular lymphadenopathy, fever, and constitutional symptoms. His course was complicated by myopericarditis and an ongoing pleomorphic skin eruption. Viral deoxyribonucleic acid was detected by polymerase chain reaction in skin swabs, nasopharyngeal swab, saliva, and semen.

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By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra-West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations.

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We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern Turkey and Northern Iraq), Cyprus, and the Northwestern Zagros, along with the first data from Neolithic Armenia. We show that these and neighboring populations were formed through admixture of pre-Neolithic sources related to Anatolian, Caucasus, and Levantine hunter-gatherers, forming a Neolithic continuum of ancestry mirroring the geography of West Asia. By analyzing Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic populations of Anatolia, we show that the former were derived from admixture between Mesopotamian-related and local Epipaleolithic-related sources, but the latter experienced additional Levantine-related gene flow, thus documenting at least two pulses of migration from the Fertile Crescent heartland to the early farmers of Anatolia.

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Literary and archaeological sources have preserved a rich history of Southern Europe and West Asia since the Bronze Age that can be complemented by genetics. Mycenaean period elites in Greece did not differ from the general population and included both people with some steppe ancestry and others, like the Griffin Warrior, without it. Similarly, people in the central area of the Urartian Kingdom around Lake Van lacked the steppe ancestry characteristic of the kingdom's northern provinces.

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  • The study analyzes the impact of natural forest exploitation and protected areas on habitat networks across 16 regions worldwide.
  • Conservation effectiveness varies significantly, influenced by factors like habitat quality and resource extraction within protected zones, leading to a predominance of negative over positive effects.
  • Despite existing knowledge and tools, trends in biodiversity conservation appear to be declining, emphasizing the need for better segregation of conservation efforts and resource use.
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