Publications by authors named "Sally Al Abdulmohsen"

Central nervous system (CNS) metastasis is the most common brain tumor type in adults. Compared to their primary tumors, these metastases undergo a variety of genetic changes to be able to survive and thrive in the complex tissue microenvironment of the brain. In clinical settings, the majority of traditional chemotherapies have shown limited efficacy against CNS metastases.

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Background: Vestibular schwannomas exhibit a uniquely variable natural history of growth, stability, or even spontaneous regression. We hypothesized that a transitory population of immune cells, or immunomodulation of tumors cells, may influence the growth pattern of schwannomas. We therefore sought to characterize the impact of the immune microenvironment on schwannoma behavior.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pituitary tumors, being the second most common primary brain tumors, exhibit varied immune microenvironments, particularly in functional tumors with increased PD-L1 expression.
  • A study of 72 pituitary tumors assessed multiple immune regulatory markers using immunohistochemistry, revealing significant infiltration of T cells and macrophages, along with different levels of immune checkpoint regulators.
  • Findings suggest that functional tumors are more immunosuppressive, with higher immune cell infiltration and checkpoint expression, indicating a need for further research on immune checkpoint therapies, possibly in combination with other treatments.
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Chordomas are rare tumors that are notoriously refractory to chemotherapy and radiotherapy when radical surgical resection is not achieved or upon recurrence after maximally aggressive treatment. The study of chordomas has been complicated by small patient cohorts and few available model systems due to the rarity of these tumors. Emerging next-generation sequencing technologies have broadened understanding of this disease by implicating novel pathways for possible targeted therapy.

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OBJECTIVE Craniopharyngiomas are among the most challenging of intracranial tumors to manage because of their pattern of growth, associated morbidities, and high recurrence rate. Complete resection on initial encounter can be curative, but it may be impeded by the risks posed by the involved neurovascular structures. Recurrent craniopharyngiomas, in turn, are frequently refractory to additional surgery and adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy.

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A 44-year-old male with schizophrenia presented with progressive right proptosis for one year and conjunctivitis for two months. An orbital cyst was seen in the superotemporal region on computerized tomography and was surgically removed. There was no history or radiological signs of paranasal sinus disease or previous trauma.

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Background: A number of constitutively activated signaling pathways play critical roles in the survival and growth of primary effusion lymphoma cells (PELs) including NFkB and PI3/AKT kinase cascades. NFkBis constitutively activated in a number of malignancies, including multiple myeloma, Burkitt's lymphoma and diffuse large cell B-cell lymphoma. However, its role in primary effusion lymphoma has not been fully explored.

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