Surgery for the Treatment of HPV-Negative Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is associated with worse survival when compared to HPV-positive OPSCC. Primary surgery is one option to intensify therapy in this high-risk group of patients. Unfortunately, the only randomized trial to explore this approach (RTOG 1221) failed to accrue and the role of primary surgery in the treatment of HPV-negative OPSCC remains unanswered.

Pan-tumor analysis to investigate the obesity paradox in immune checkpoint blockade.

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for developing cancer but is also associated with improved outcomes after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a phenomenon called the obesity paradox. To interrogate mechanisms of divergent immune responses in obese and non-obese patients, we examined the relationship among obesity status, clinical responses, and immune profiles from a diverse, pan-tumor cohort of patients treated with ICI-based therapy.

Methods: From June 2021 to March 2023, we prospectively collected serial peripheral blood samples from patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors who received ICI as standard of care at Johns Hopkins.

Cancer associated fibroblasts drive epithelial to mesenchymal transition and classical to basal change in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells with loss of IL-8 expression.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) carries an extremely poor prognosis, in part resulting from cellular heterogeneity that supports overall tumorigenicity. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) are key determinants of PDAC biology and response to systemic therapy. While CAF subtypes have been defined, the effects of patient-specific CAF heterogeneity and plasticity on tumor cell behavior remain unclear.

Safety and Efficacy of Deutetrabenazine at High versus Lower Daily Dosages in the ARC-HD Study to Treat Chorea in Huntington Disease.

Background: Huntington disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes psychiatric and neurological symptoms, including involuntary and irregular muscle movements (chorea). Chorea can disrupt activities of daily living, pose safety issues, and may lead to social withdrawal. The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitors tetrabenazine, deutetrabenazine, and valbenazine are approved treatments that can reduce chorea.

The impact of zinc pre-exposure on ciprofloxacin resistance development in .

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that is predicted to worsen in the coming years. While improper antibiotic usage is an established driver, less is known about the impact of other endogenous and exogeneous environmental factors, such as metals, on AMR. One metal of interest is zinc as it is often used as a supplement for diarrhea treatment prior to antibiotics.