Publications by authors named "P F Peruzzi"

Article Synopsis
  • Glioblastoma is described as immunologically "cold," making it resistant to solo immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) like pembrolizumab, although neoadjuvant use may improve survival based on prior studies.
  • A study involving 25 additional patients analyzed tumor tissue for gene signatures and found that neoadjuvant pembrolizumab led to decreased cancer proliferation genes and increased T-cell activity, indicating a specific response to this treatment.
  • Despite observing these molecular changes, the study did not confirm an overall survival benefit from neoadjuvant pembrolizumab, suggesting that some patients may inherently resist ICI and may need additional therapies for effective treatment.
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Under what circumstances, is it ethical to perform tumor surgery on a brain-dead individual? The neurosurgeons at Brigham and Women's Hospital were recently faced with such a question when asked to operate on a 28-year-old man who was pronounced brain-dead secondary to a severe brain-stem injury. His advanced directives clearly documented a desire for organ donation. During his transplant work-up, cranial imaging suggested a possible cerebellar mass of unknown etiology that was concerning for metastatic disease.

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Article Synopsis
  • Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor with a median survival of only 6-9 months after progression, due to factors like molecular pathways and tumor microenvironment.
  • Current treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can manage the primary tumor but not effectively prevent relapse, and the role of surgery for recurrent cases is debated.
  • New innovative therapies for recurrent glioblastoma are being developed, including checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy, aimed at improving treatment outcomes.
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The emerging field of cancer neuroscience reshapes our understanding of the intricate relationship between the nervous system and cancer biology; this new paradigm is likely to fundamentally change and advance neuro-oncological care. The profound interplay between cancers and the nervous system is reciprocal: Cancer growth can be induced and regulated by the nervous system; conversely, tumors can themselves alter the nervous system. Such crosstalk between cancer cells and the nervous system is evident in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

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Intrinsic, expansile pontine tumors typically occur in the pediatric population. These tumors characteristically present as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), which is now considered as diffuse midline glioma (DMG), H3K27-mutated of the pons. DIPG has limited treatment options and a poor prognosis, and the value of tissue diagnosis from an invasive biopsy remains controversial.

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