Publications by authors named "P V Vikas"
Purpose: While limited resources can make high-quality, comprehensive, coordinated cancer care provision challenging in rural settings, rural cancer patients often rely on local hospitals for care. To develop resources and strategies to support high-quality local cancer care, it is critical to understand the current experiences of rural cancer care physicians, including perceived strengths and challenges of providing cancer care in rural areas. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 cancer providers associated with all 12 non-metropolitan/rural Iowa hospitals that diagnose or treat >100 cancer patients annually.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarly-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Journey: Beginning, End, and Everything in Between.
Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book
June 2023
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a very heterogeneous and aggressive breast cancer subtype with a high risk of mortality, even if diagnosed early. The mainstay of early-stage breast cancer includes systemic chemotherapy and surgery, with or without radiation therapy. More recently, immunotherapy is approved to treat TNBC, but managing immune-rated adverse events while balancing efficacy is a challenge.
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- Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections post-vaccination are a major concern, particularly for cancer patients who are at higher risk of severe outcomes.
- A study analyzed 2,486 cancer patients with confirmed infections, focusing on the impact of receiving 2 or 3 doses of mRNA vaccines, looking at mortality and hospitalization rates.
- Results showed that vaccinated individuals had significantly lower 30-day mortality and hospitalization rates compared to unvaccinated patients, with those receiving 3 doses having the best outcomes.
As geographical location can impact the gut microbiome, it is important to study region-specific microbiome signatures of various diseases. Therefore, we profiled the gut microbiome of breast cancer (BC) patients of the Midwestern region of the United States. The bacterial component of the gut microbiome was profiled utilizing 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing.
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- The College of American Pathologists (CAP) has established guidelines for testing mismatch repair (MMR) and microsatellite instability (MSI) to guide treatment decisions for patients eligible for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
- The guidelines were evaluated for their development rigor by methodologists and received additional review from the ASCO Endorsement Panel to ensure clarity and evidence-based recommendations.
- Recommended testing methods include MMR immunohistochemistry (IHC) and MSI testing for various cancers, with a specific focus on colorectal, gastroesophageal, small bowel, and endometrial cancers; no one method was favored as superior for other cancer types.