Mismatch repair deficiency confers worse survival in stage IV colon cancer.

Background: Metastatic colon cancer (MCC) is a debilitating condition with a poor prognosis. Currently, there is limited data that investigates MCC in relation to mismatch repair (MMR) status. The aims of this study are to compare sociodemographic and clinicopathologic features and mortality between patients with MMR-proficient (MMR-P) and MMR-deficient (MMR-D) MCC.

The role of preoperative anemia in patients undergoing colectomy for diverticular disease: does surgical urgency matter?

Purpose: Surgery especially in the emergent setting carries higher rates of morbidity and mortality. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of preoperative anemia on outcomes for patients undergoing colectomy for acute diverticulitis in both elective and emergent settings.

Methods: We performed a 4-year analysis of the ACS-NSQIP and included adult patients with acute diverticulitis who underwent colectomy.

Future of Personalized Therapy Targeting Aberrant Signaling Pathways in Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a genetically complex disease. Identification of mutations and aberrant signaling pathways that contribute to the progression of MM and drug resistance has potential to lead to specific targets and personalized treatment. Aberrant signal pathways include RAS pathway activation due to RAS or BRAF mutations (targeted by vemurafenib alone or combined with cobimetinib), BCL-2 overexpression in t(11:14) (targeted by venetoclax), JAK2 pathway activation (targeted by ruxolitinib), NF-κB pathway activation (treated with DANFIN combined with bortezomib), MDM2 overexpression, and PI3K/mTOR pathway activation (targeted by BEZ235).