ATR Inhibition in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

The ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) pathway is intricately involved in protecting the integrity of the human genome by suppressing replication stress and repairing DNA damage. ATR is a promising therapeutic target in cancer cells because its inhibition could lead to an accumulation of damaged DNA preventing further replication and division. ATR inhibition is being studied in multiple types of cancer, including advanced urothelial carcinoma where there remains an unmet need for novel therapies to improve outcomes.

Conducting Goals-of-Care Discussions Takes Less Time Than Imagined.

Purpose: To describe the length of encounter during visits where goals-of-care (GoC) discussions were expected to take place.

Methods: Oncologists from community, academic, municipal, and rural hospitals were randomly assigned to receive a coaching model of communication skills to facilitate GoC discussions with patients with newly diagnosed advanced solid-tumor cancer with a prognosis of < 2 years. Patients were surveyed after the first restaging visit regarding the quality of the GoC discussion on a scale of 0-10 (0 = worst; 10 = best), with ≥ 8 indicating a high-quality GoC discussion.

Impact of High-Quality Goals-of-Care Discussions on Oncologist Productivity.

Purpose: To study factors that have an impact on the conduct of high-quality goals of care (GoC) discussions and productivity of oncologists among four different practice settings in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: Solid-tumor oncologists from community, academic, municipal, and rural hospitals were randomly assigned to receive a coaching model of communication skills to help them facilitate a GoC discussion with newly diagnosed patients with advanced cancer who had a less-than-2-year prognosis. Patients were surveyed after the first restaging visit regarding the quality of the GoC discussion on a scale of 0 to 10 (0, worst; 10, best) with a score of 8 or better indicating a high-quality GoC discussion.

Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria in an Adult with Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH) is a rare form of cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia first discovered in the early 20th century in adults with tertiary syphilis. Today, it is more commonly seen in children as a life-threatening anemia during a viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Although respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has previously been reported to cause PCH in a child, herein we present the first documented case in an adult.

Thoracic Trauma in the Oldest of the Old: An Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Thoracic trauma (TT) has the second highest mortality rate in the geriatric population. These injuries cause significant morbidity in elderly patients. Little has been done to describe the demographics and mortality of specific injuries in these patients.