Effect of Preoperative Treatment on the Performance of Predictive Nomograms in Primary Retroperitoneal Sarcoma.

Background: Retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS)-specific nomograms provide estimates of survival and recurrence risk following resection in the individual patient. The effect of preoperative treatment on nomogram performance has not been previously examined. Our aim was to evaluate the predictive accuracy of existing RPS-specific nomograms in patients managed at our center, where the majority of patients received preoperative radiation.

Early and Late Complications of Percutaneous Core Needle Biopsy of Retroperitoneal Tumors at Two Tertiary Sarcoma Centers.

Background: Concern persists regarding percutaneous core needle biopsy (CNB) of a potentially malignant lesion of the retroperitoneum due to the perceived risk of immediate complications and adverse oncologic outcomes, including needle tract seeding (NTS).

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of (1) early complications and (2) NTS following CNB of suspected retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS).

Methods: Patients who underwent CNB of an RP mass with pre-biopsy suspicion of sarcoma were identified from a prospective database at two centers: (1) Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto (2009-2015); and (2) The Ottawa Hospital (1999-2015).

Clinical benefit of methotrexate plus vinorelbine chemotherapy for desmoid fibromatosis (DF) and correlation of treatment response with MRI.

Background: Desmoid fibromatosis (DF) is a rare fibroblastic proliferation that was historically treated with surgery. We report (a) outcomes using low-dose chemotherapy, methotrexate (MTX), and vinorelbine (VNL) for patients with progressing disease (PD) and (b) whether tumor volume (V ) and T2 signal on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are more reflective of treatment response compared with maximum tumor dimension (D ) defined by RECIST1.1.

Clinical outcomes in breast angiosarcoma patients: A rare tumor with unique challenges.

Background: Breast angiosarcoma (AS) accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancers. The goal of this study was to determine patient outcomes in radiation-associated angiosarcoma of the breast (RAAS) and sporadic AS. We evaluated patterns of recurrence and predictors of breast AS survival.

Toward Observation as First-line Management in Abdominal Desmoid Tumors.

Background: Desmoid tumors (DT) occur sporadically, in familial adenomatous polyposis, or in association with pregnancy. Initial observation has been proposed in the management of DT. An advantage of this approach is to select patients who have indolent disease versus those who require intervention.

Evidence for differential biosynthesis of juvenile hormone (and related) sesquiterpenoids in Drosophila melanogaster.

Previous studies in Drosophila melanogaster have demonstrated that biosynthesis and regulation of juvenile hormone bisepoxide (JHB(3)) may not be coordinated with that of juvenile hormone (JH III). In this study, we have used the radiochemical assay to confirm the coordinated developmental sesquiterpenoid profile during adult life and analyze the effect of farnesol and farnesoic acid addition on methyl farnesoate, JH III and JHB(3) production by isolated ring glands of Drosophila third instar larvae or corpora allata of adult females. Application of exogenous farnesol or farnesoic acid to glands in vitro stimulated MF and JH III biosynthesis in both larvae and adults.

Amino acid deprivation induces CREBZF/Zhangfei expression via an AARE-like element in the promoter.

CREBZF (also called ZF or Zhangfei) is a basic region-leucine zipper transcription factor that has been implicated in the herpesvirus infection cycle and related cellular processes. Since ATF4 is known to play a key role in cellular responses to various ER stresses as well as amino acid deprivation, we sought to examine the potential involvement of CREBZF in the amino acid response (AAR). We found that the CREBZF protein was induced by amino acid deprivation in the canine MDCK cells.