Molecular dynamics of interaction of Sesamin and related compounds with the cancer marker β-catenin: an in silico study.

By virtue of their regulatory role in the biological process, certain protein-protein complexes form potential targets for designing and discovery of drugs. Alteration set in the controlled formation of such complexes results in dysregulation of several metabolic processes, leading to diseased condition. β-catenin/Tcf4 complex is one such protein-protein complex found altered in colorectal epithelial cells resulting in activation of target genes leading to cancer.

Effects of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) causing missense mutations L67P, L182P, G242V and R297S on the structural dynamics of LKB1 (Liver kinase B1) protein.

The liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is encoded by LKB1 gene. Several pathogenic mutations of LKB1 causing Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and also cancers in breast, gastric, pancreas, and colon have been reported. The present study is focused to analyze the effects on the structural dynamics of LKB1 caused by the 4 pathogenic missense mutations (L67P, L182P, G242V, and R297S), which are reported to reduce the catalytic activity.

Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Gallbladder: A Step Beyond Palliative Therapy, Experience of 25 Cases.

Purpose: Published literature on gall bladder neuroendocrine tumors (GB NETs) is limited with none reporting the role of multimodal therapy.

Methods: Patients with histologically confirmed GB NETs treated at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, from January 2010 to June 2017 were analyzed. Staging was done by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of abdomen and chest or a positron emission topography (PET) scan.

Infective endocarditis, embolic stroke and splenic abscess: a case report.

We present the case of a patient presenting with embolic stroke secondary to aortic valve endocarditis, additionally complicated by splenic abscess, successfully treated by emergent valve replacement followed by delayed, robotic splenectomy.

EMERALD: Emergency visit audit of patients treated under medical oncology in a tertiary cancer center: Logical steps to decrease the burden.

Background: We are a tertiary care cancer center and have approximately 1000-1500 emergency visits by cancer patients undergoing treatment under the adult medical oncology unit each month. However, due to the lack of a systematic audit, we are unable to plan steps toward the improvement in quality of emergency services, and hence the audit was planned.

Methods: All emergency visits under the adult medical oncology department in the month of July 2015 were audited.

Metastatic anorectal melanomas - An exploratory retrospective analysis on the benefits of systemic therapy versus best supportive care in a resource-limited setting from India.

Aim: Data regarding the optimal management of metastatic anorectal melanoma (mARM) is scarce. The primary aim was to evaluate the potential benefits of systemic therapy in mARM.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of all mARM who presented between July 2013 and June 2015 at the Department of GI Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital.

Tolerance and adverse event profile with sorafenib in Indian patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The current standard of treatment for advanced hepatocellular cancer Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is Sorafenib. Data regarding its tolerance and adverse event profile in Indian patients is scarce.

Materials And Methods: The primary aim of this analysis was to assess the adverse events (Grade 3 and Grade 4 as per CTCAE v4.

Efficacy of gefitinib in epidermal growth factor receptor-activating mutation-positive nonsmall cell lung cancer: Does exon 19 deletion differ from exon 21 mutation?

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the differential effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status (exon 19 vs. 21) on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in treatment-naïve advanced EGFR mutation-positive nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gefitinib as first-line agent.

Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of EGFR-mutated (exon 19 and 21) advanced-stage (Stage IIIB or IV), chemotherapy-naive NSCLC patients treated with gefitinib as first line in a phase 3 randomized study.

Decisional control preferences among patients with advanced cancer: An international multicenter cross-sectional survey.

Background: Understanding patients' decision control preferences is important in providing quality cancer care. Patients' decisional control preference can be either active (patients prefer to make decisions themselves), shared (collaborative between patient, their physician, and/or family), or passive (patients prefer that the decisions are made by either the physician and/or their family).

Aim: To determine the frequency and predictors of passive decision control preferences among advanced cancer patients.

A case of hypoglossal nerve stimulator-resistant obstructive sleep apnea cured with the addition of a chin strap.

A population of appropriately selected patients does not respond, or does not achieve cure, with hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS). We describe the case of nonresponder whose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) resolved with the addition of chin strap. After initial placement and titration of HGNS implant, follow-up sleep study demonstrated persistent moderate OSA.

Efficacy of Second-Line Pemetrexed-Carboplatin in EGFR-Activating Mutation-Positive NSCLC: Does Exon 19 Deletion Differ from Exon 21 Mutation?

Background: It is unknown whether the outcomes of second-line pemetrexed-carboplatin chemotherapy administered after progression on gefitinib are dependent on type of EGFR mutation present at baseline.

Method: Adult non-small-cell lung cancer patients, with exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R mutation, who progressed on gefitinib and received pemetrexed-carboplatin chemotherapy were selected for this analysis.

Result: 55 patients received pemetrexed-carboplatin as second-line treatment.

Poor Risk Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: Outcomes from a Registry in a Tertiary Cancer Center.

Background: Poor-risk advanced Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are an under-evaluated and difficult to treat subset of patients with poor prognosis. While Temsirolimus is the approved first line therapy for this category, Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are also commonly uses as initial treatment. We present an analysis of poor-risk advanced RCC treated in our institute.

Epidermal growth factor receptor positive lung cancer: The nontrial scenario.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to report the median overall survival (OS) in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive patients who were managed out of a clinical trial.

Methods: Nonsmall cell lung cancer patients harboring activating EGFR mutations who were either ineligible or refused participation in a clinical trial were selected for this analysis. The reason for not participating in trial, staging, treatment, and outcome details were obtained from a prospective lung cancer database.

Comparison of paclitaxel-cetuximab chemotherapy versus metronomic chemotherapy consisting of methotrexate and celecoxib as palliative chemotherapy in head and neck cancers.

Background: The present match pair analysis was planned to compare the efficacy of cetuximab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy versus metronomic therapy.

Materials And Methods: Sixty patients with metastatic/recurrent head and neck squamous cell cancer treated with weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) and cetuximab were matched with sixty patients treated with oral metronomic chemotherapy consisting of methotrexate and celecoxib. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the cohorts were compared using log-rank test.

Impact of exon 19 versus exon 21 EGFR-activating mutation on outcomes with upfront pemetrexed-carboplatin chemotherapy.

Background: EGFR mutation subtype is a recognised factor impacting outcomes of patients receiving oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Evidence for the effect of this factor on outcomes in patients receiving pemetrexed is limited.

Methods: We completed a study comparing pemetrexed-platinum combination versus oral TKI in EGFR mutation-positive patients in lung cancer.

Preoperative Imaging Overestimates the Tumor Size in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms Associated with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1.

Background: Radiological tumor size of non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (Nf-pNENs) associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a crucial parameter to indicate surgery. The aim of this study was to compare radiological size (RS) and pathologic size (PS) of MEN1 associated with pNENs.

Methods: Prospectively collected data of MEN1 patients who underwent pancreatic resections for pNENs were retrospectively analyzed.

Unraveling the spectrum of mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: An Indian Tertiary Cancer Center Experience.

Background: Primary mutations in the gene are the driving force for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) tumorigenesis. Predictive role of mutation status aids oncologists in patient management. There is a paucity of comprehensive data on the frequency of mutations in the gene in GIST affecting Indian patients.

Clinical practice and outcomes in advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor: Experience from an Indian tertiary care center.

Background: Management of advanced Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) has been revolutionized with the use of Imatinib guided by mutation analysis. Data from India remains scarce.

Materials And Methods: Patients with metastatic GIST who were treated at Department of Gastro-intestinal & Hepaticopancreaticobiliary Oncology Unit at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai between December, 2004 and December 2015 were included in the analysis.

Activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway and response to everolimus in endocrine receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer - A retrospective pilot analysis and viewpoint.

Introduction: Biomarkers predictive of response to mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, everolimus, in endocrine receptor (ER)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are a work in progress. We evaluated the feasibility of directly measuring mTOR activity and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression and correlating their expression with response and survival.

Materials And Methods: MBC patients who received everolimus with endocrine therapy (ET) after progression on an aromatase inhibitor and had adequate tissue preservation for estimation of mTOR activity and PTEN expression were selected for analysis from a prospectively maintained database.

Emerging role of multimodality treatment in gall bladder cancer: Outcomes following 510 consecutive resections in a tertiary referral center.

Background And Objectives: Gall bladder cancer (GBC) is a disease with high incidence in India. We analyzed the outcomes of patients with suspected GBC who underwent surgical exploration.

Methods: Analysis of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing surgical exploration for clinic-radiologically suspected GBC from January 2010 to August 2015.

A Newly Developed mm-Wave Sensor for Detecting Plaques of Arterial Vessels.

Background: Microcalcifications within the fibrous cap of the arteriosclerotic plaques lead to the accrual of plaque-destabilizing mechanical stress. New techniques for plaque screening with small detectors and the ability to differentiate between the smooth and hard elements of plaque formation are necessary.

Method: Vascular plaque formations are characterized as calcium phosphate containing structures organized as hydroxylapatite resembling the mineral whitlockite.

Lung Endothelial MicroRNA-1 Regulates Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis.

Rationale: Vascular endothelial growth factor down-regulates microRNA-1 (miR-1) in the lung endothelium, and endothelial cells play a critical role in tumor progression and angiogenesis.

Objectives: To examine the clinical significance of miR-1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its specific role in tumor endothelium.

Methods: miR-1 levels were measured by Taqman assay.