Publications by authors named "Olatunji Alese"
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a minimal (<15%) 5-year existence, in part due to resistance to chemoradiotherapy. Previous research reveals the impact of paricalcitol (P) and hydroxychloroquine (H) on altering the lysosomal fusion, decreasing stromal burden, and triggering PDAC to chemotherapies. This investigation aims to elucidate the molecular properties of the H and P combination and their potential in sensitizing PDAC to gemcitabine (G).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and their caregivers often experience multiple co-occurring symptoms (eg, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance). There is a noticeable gap in research regarding symptom management for patient-caregiver dyads, particularly using technology-based tools.
Objective: This study aimed to describe the needs and perceptions of patient-caregiver dyads regarding a technology-based tool to manage their multiple symptoms.
Background: Modulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity in tumor cells enhances chemotherapy efficacy. We evaluated the selective GR modulator relacorilant plus nab-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) who had received at least 2 prior therapy lines.
Patients And Methods: In this open-label, single-arm, phase III study, patients received once-daily oral relacorilant (100 mg, titrated to 150 mg in 25 mg increments/cycle) and nab-paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28-day cycles.
Article Synopsis
- * The design of a new NCI-sponsored randomized trial aims to determine the best chemotherapy regimen for patients who achieve a clinical complete response (cCR) after TNT, potentially allowing for a "watch and wait" strategy instead of immediate surgery.
- * The trial will enroll up to 760 patients with specific LARC criteria and will evaluate the effectiveness of long-course chemoradiation followed by different consolidation chemotherapy regimens, with patient outcomes being monitored over time.
Article Synopsis
- This study creates a technology-driven program aimed at improving care for underserved colorectal cancer patients and their caregivers.
- It uses generative artificial intelligence to personalize educational resources based on the specific needs of each individual.
- The goal is to improve symptom management and promote health equity among those affected by colorectal cancer.
Article Synopsis
- Gastroenteropancreatic high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma (GEP-NEC) is a rare but aggressive cancer with few treatment options, making it increasingly important to study its interactions with the immune system.
- Research involving 21 patient biopsy samples revealed that younger patients and those with better survival rates showed higher levels of immune cell-related gene expression, indicating a potential link between immune response and patient outcomes.
- Differences in gene expression were noted based on tumor location and patient characteristics, suggesting the need for further research to explore how these factors influence treatment responses and survival in GEP-NEC patients.
The exchange of genes between cells is known to play an important physiological and pathological role in many organisms. We show that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) facilitates cell-specific gene transfer between human cancer cells and explain part of the mechanisms behind this phenomenon. As ctDNA migrates into the nucleus, genetic information is transferred.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study evaluates the effectiveness of targeted agents, specifically pertuzumab plus trastuzumab, in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) who have specific genomic alterations.
- Out of 29 enrolled patients, the treatment showed a 40% disease control rate, with some experiencing significant responses, indicating potential benefits of this combination therapy.
- Although the treatment was generally well-received, a few patients reported notable adverse events, highlighting the importance of monitoring safety alongside treatment efficacy.
Background: Survival differences between left-sided colon cancer (LSCC) and right-sided colon cancer (RSCC) has been previously reported with mixed results, with various study periods not accounting for other causes of mortality.
Purpose: We sought to assess the trends in colon cancer cause- specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) based on sidedness.
Method: Fine-Gray competing risk and Cox models were used to analyze Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) population-based cohort from 1975 to 2019.
Importance: The association of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) with survival in the general population of patients with resected biliary tract cancer (BTC) remains controversial. As such, the role of this treatment in the treatment of older adult patients (aged ≥70 years) needs to be evaluated.
Objective: To describe the patterns of use of AC and compare survival outcomes of AC and observation in older adult patients following resection of BTC.
Purpose: The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study is a phase II basket study evaluating the antitumor activity of commercially available targeted agents in patients with advanced cancers with genomic alterations known to be drug targets. Results of a cohort of patients with solid tumors with mutations treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab are reported.
Methods: Eligible patients had measurable disease (RECIST v.
Background: Preclinical studies showed metformin reduces exhaustion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and potentiates programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockade. We hypothesized that metformin with nivolumab would elicit potent antitumor and immune modulatory activity in metastatic microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC). We evaluated this hypothesis in a phase II study.
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- The IDEA collaboration aimed to determine if 3 months of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer was as effective as the standard 6-month treatment, but it failed to meet its main goal while showing promise in subgroup analyses.
- Between January 2016 and January 2021, a study found that after the IDEA findings were released, the use of the 3-month chemotherapy regimen increased significantly among patients.
- The analysis revealed that the CAPOX regimen (capecitabine/oxaliplatin) usage jumped from 14% to 48% after IDEA's presentation, and this increase was consistent regardless of patients' cancer risk levels.
Despite recent advances in cancer therapeutics, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a lethal disease with a 5-year overall survival of only 10%. Since either at or within a few months of diagnosis, most patients with PDAC will present with metastatic disease, a more individualized approach to select patients who may benefit from more aggressive therapy has been suggested. Although studies have reported improved survival in PDAC and isolated pulmonary metastasis (ISP) compared to extrapulmonary metastases, such findings remain controversial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic have had a lasting impact on the care of cancer patients. The impact on patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies remains incompletely understood. We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on mortality, length of stay (LOS), and cost of care among patients with GI malignancies, and identify differences in outcomes based on primary tumor site.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRacial and ethnic minority populations are consistently under-represented in oncology clinical trials despite comprising a disproportionate share of a cancer burden. Phase I oncology clinical trials pose a unique challenge and opportunity for minority inclusion. Here we compared the sociodemographic characteristics of patients participating in phase 1 clinical trials a National Cancer Institute ( NCI)-designated comprehensive center to all patients at the center, patients with new cancer diagnosis in metropolitan Atlanta and patients with new cancer diagnoses in the state of Georgia.
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- A study is being conducted to create a web-based program called CRCweb to help patients with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy and their caregivers manage psychoneurological symptoms like fatigue, depression, and anxiety.
- The research includes interviews with selected patient-caregiver pairs to develop this program and will assess its effectiveness through a clinical trial with pre- and post-tests.
- The study began in late 2022, with approval and registration completed by April 2023, and aims to finish by October 2024, potentially improving symptom management for cancer patients and their caregivers.
Objectives: Colloid carcinoma (CC) is a rare subtype of pancreatic carcinoma. The aims of the study are to characterize the clinicopathological features and to evaluate the overall survival (OS) of patients with CC.
Methods: Patients diagnosed with pancreatic CC and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) between 2004 and 2016 were identified from the National Cancer Database using International Classification of Disease-O-3 morphology (8480/3 and 8140/3) and topography (C25) codes.
Article Synopsis
- - Colorectal cancer (CRC) is rising globally, expected to see 3.2 million new cases and 1.6 million deaths by 2040, largely due to insufficient treatment options for advanced stages.
- - Standard chemotherapy has limitations due to resistance, toxicity issues, and only certain patients benefiting from immune checkpoint inhibitors; the most common CRC tumors do not respond well to current targeted therapies.
- - New strategies, including various combinations of inhibitors and innovative agents targeting specific mutations, as well as PARP inhibitors, are emerging to improve treatment options, with a focus on biomarker-driven approaches for managing advanced CRC.
Purpose: Anal cancer affects a disproportionate percentage of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We analyzed a cohort of patients with HIV and anal cancer who received modern radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent chemotherapy to assess whether certain factors are associated with poor oncologic outcomes.
Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 75 consecutive patients with HIV infection and anal cancer who received definitive chemotherapy and RT from 2008 to 2018 at a single academic institution.
Introduction: Checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) have significantly improved survival among patients with various cancer types. Prior studies have shown a correlation between immune cell infiltration and poorly differentiated cancers. This study evaluated the impact of poorly differentiated histology on survival in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers treated with immunotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: TAPUR is a phase II basket trial evaluating the antitumor activity of commercially available targeted agents in patients with advanced cancer and genomic alterations known to be drug targets. The results of a cohort of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) with mutations treated with cobimetinib (C) plus vemurafenib (V) are reported.
Methods: Eligible patients had advanced CRC, no standard treatment options, measurable disease (RECIST), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, adequate organ function, tumors with V600E/D/K/R mutations, and no , , or mutations.
Background: About 10-20% of patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) present with metastatic disease and are usually treated with systemic chemotherapy. However, primary tumor control is crucial as local failure is associated with significant morbidity. Using the largest cohort to date, we report the impact of local therapy on survival among patients with metastatic anal SCCa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Our previous phase II study demonstrated that nivolumab provides modest but durable clinical efficacy in patients with refractory biliary tract cancer, suggesting the significant clinical benefit of nivolumab in selected patients and the necessity of predictive biomarkers. We evaluated clinicopathological characteristics and tumour microenvironment of the patients who were enrolled the trial to identify potential biomarkers.
Methods: Baseline clinicopathological characteristics and pretreatment tumour samples were collected.
Article Synopsis
- Colorectal cancer (CRC) sidedness, with left-sided CRC linked to better survival rates than right-sided CRC (RsCC), is influenced by factors like obesity, race, age, and sex.
- A study analyzed data from nearly 25,000 CRC patients, revealing 13.6% were overweight and 49.9% were obese, predominantly non-Hispanic Whites, while overweight and obese individuals had a higher likelihood of developing RsCC.
- The findings highlight that obesity raises the risk of RsCC, particularly emphasizing significant racial disparities in CRC outcomes among obese patients.