T-cell immune checkpoint inhibition plus hypomethylation for locally advanced HER2-negative breast cancer: a phase 2 neoadjuvant window trial of decitabine and pembrolizumab followed by standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Background: Higher levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancers are associated with increased likelihood of pathologic complete response (pCR) to chemotherapy. DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi) can augment immune responses to cancers, decreasing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and increasing T lymphocyte responsiveness. We have shown that the DNMTi decitabine augments the effectiveness of immunotherapy using murine triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) models.

Yolk Sac Tumor of the Liver: An Important Differential for Liver Mass with Elevated Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein in the Pediatric Population.

Yolk sac tumor (YST) is a malignant germ cell tumor with 10-15% arising in extragonadal sites. A search through our institution's database from January 01, 1990, to December 31, 2020, for "yolk sac tumor" or "endodermal sinus tumor" and "liver". Our search yielded three cases.

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma presenting with synchronous brain metastases.

Brain metastases are rare and poorly understood complications of oesophageal carcinoma. This report describes a case of brain metastasis as the initial presentation of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The rarity and the lack of prospective clinical trials of brain metastasis in oesophageal cancer result in the absence of treatment guidelines.

Impact of stormwater on biofilm density and microbial community composition in water distribution networks.

Harvesting of stormwater and injecting it into aquifers for storage and recovery during high water demand periods is a promising technology for augmenting conventional water reserves. However, little has been known on how stormwater impacts the biofouling of water distribution infrastructure. This study evaluated the effect on harvested and limestone aquifer treated stormwater on biofilm formation in a pilot distribution pipe network compared to an identical drinking water pipe rig.

A comprehensive review of current treatment modalities for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in breast cancer.

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) is a metastatic complication of breast cancer that imparts a very poor prognosis and distressing neurologic symptoms in affected patients. While the incidence of LC has risen with improving survival rates for cancer patients, there remains no established treatment protocol for LC and clinical trial data comparing available therapies is limited. Here, a comprehensive literature search of the pubmed and Cochrane databases was performed.