Publications by authors named "Ross S Liao"

Article Synopsis
  • Small-cell carcinomas (SCCs) in the genitourinary tract are rare but aggressive cancers primarily found in the bladder and prostate, often presenting with severe urinary symptoms and metastases.
  • Treatment typically involves a combination of platinum-based chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, especially for bladder SCC which frequently shows nodal and metastatic spread.
  • Current research is focused on understanding the genetic factors behind the development of these cancers and is leading to ongoing clinical trials for new therapies.
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Androgen deprivation therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for advanced prostate cancer, and the development of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the primary cause of prostate cancer-related mortality. While CRPC typically develops through a gain in androgen receptor (AR) signaling, a subset of CRPC will lose reliance on the AR. This process involves genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal changes that promote cellular plasticity, leading to AR-indifferent disease, with neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) being the quintessential example.

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Urethral stricture disease (USD) is a progressive scar-forming disease commonly encountered by urologists and is challenging to manage. USD most frequently occurs in the bulbar urethra. Patients typically present with chronic obstructive voiding symptoms but may develop recurrent urinary tract infections, detrusor failure, or renal disease.

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Data regarding dermatology residency interview patterns can better inform applicants regarding the application process as well as encourage further coordination among programs. Our objective was to describe dermatology residency interview date patterns over the past five applications cycles from 2012 to 2017. A retrospective review of dermatology online forums (the Dermatology Interest Group Association and Student Doctor Network) was performed from 2012 to 2017; these web-based public databases were reviewed for interview dates and interview offer dates.

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Purpose: High risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma has been associated with poor survival outcomes. Limited retrospective data support neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to radical nephroureterectomy. To validate prior findings we evaluated differences in the pathological stage distribution in patients with high risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma based on the administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical nephroureterectomy.

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Androgen receptor (AR)-mediated signaling is necessary for prostate cancer cell proliferation and an important target for therapeutic drug development. Canonically, AR signals through a genomic or transcriptional pathway, involving the translocation of androgen-bound AR to the nucleus, its binding to cognate androgen response elements on promoter, with ensuing modulation of target gene expression, leading to cell proliferation. However, prostate cancer cells can show dose-dependent proliferation responses to androgen within minutes, without the need for genomic AR signaling.

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