Chimeric antigen receptor engineering: a right step in the evolution of adoptive cellular immunotherapy.

Cancer immunotherapy comprises different therapeutic strategies that exploit the use of distinct components of the immune system, with the common goal of specifically targeting and eradicating neoplastic cells. These varied approaches include the use of specific monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, cytokines, therapeutic cancer vaccines and cellular anticancer strategies such as activated dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and, more recently, genetically engineered T cells. Each one of these approaches has demonstrated promise, but their generalized success has been hindered by the paucity of specific tumor targets resulting in suboptimal tumor responses and unpredictable toxicities.

The role of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in non-anogenital cancer and the promise of immunotherapy: a review.

Over the past 30 years, human papilloma virus (HPV) has been shown to play a role in the development of various cancers. Most notably, HPV has been linked to malignant progression in neoplasms of the anogenital region. However, high-risk HPV has also been suggested to play a significant role in the development of cancers in other anatomic locations, such as the head and neck, lung, breast and bladder.

Mast cells and the liver aging process.

It has now ascertained that the clinical manifestations of liver disease in the elderly population reflect both the cumulative effects of longevity on the liver and the generalized senescence of the organism ability to adjust to metabolic, infectious, and immunologic insults. Although liver tests are not significantly affected by age, the presentation of liver diseases such as viral hepatitis may be subtler in the elderly population than that of younger patients.Human immunosenescence is a situation in which the immune system, particularly T lymphocyte function, deteriorates with age, while innate immunity is negligibly affected and in some cases almost up-regulated.

Cancer testis antigens: a novel target in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer mortality worldwide. This is mainly due to the fact that it is diagnosed in advanced stage patients, which are no more surgically curable. Consequently, searching for novel treatments and new modalities for early diagnosis offers great promise to improve the clinical outcome.

Cancer testes antigens in breast cancer: biological role, regulation, and therapeutic applicability.

Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women across the world. The last few decades have seen significant reduction in mortality owing to earlier detection and better adjuvant treatments that were developed based on clinical staging and morphological features. As these treatments have evolved, the heterogeneity of breast cancer poses a new challenge, since there is no standard gold-therapy suitable for all tumors of the mammary gland.

Aging, cancer, and cancer vaccines.

World population has experienced continuous growth since 1400 A.D. Current projections show a continued increase - but a steady decline in the population growth rate - with the number expected to reach between 8 and 10.

Hyperthyroidism and pulmonary hypertension: an important association.

Pulmonary hypertension is a complex disorder with multiple etiologies. The World Health Organization Group 5 (unclear multifactorial mechanisms) includes patients with thyroid disorders. The authors reviewed the literature on the association between hyperthyroidism and pulmonary hypertension and identified 20 publications reporting 164 patients with treatment outcomes.

Proton pump inhibitors and risk of fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Objectives: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in several acid-related gastrointestinal disorders. In vivo studies have suggested that gastric suppression by PPIs could result in decreased intestinal calcium absorption. Subsequently, there have been concerns that the chronic use of a PPI is associated with an increased risk of bone fracture.

Airway obstruction is increased in pneumocystis-colonized human immunodeficiency virus-infected outpatients.

We investigated the relationship of Pneumocystis colonization, matrix metalloprotease levels in sputum, and airway obstruction in a cohort of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected outpatients. Pneumocystis-colonized subjects had worse obstruction of airways and higher levels of matrix metalloprotease-12 in sputa, suggesting that Pneumocystis colonization may be important in HIV-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Outcome of HIV-associated Pneumocystis pneumonia in hospitalized patients from 2000 through 2003.

Background: Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons. Epidemiology of PCP in the recent era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is not well known and the impact of HAART on outcome of PCP has been debated.

Aim: To determine the epidemiology of PCP in HIV-infected patients and examine the impact of HAART on PCP outcome.