Implementing a Novel "Frontiers in Neoplasia" Curriculum to Engage Fourth-Year Medical Students in Evidence-Based, Multidisciplinary Oncology Care.

Few medical students are exposed to evidence-based, multidisciplinary oncology care, and few studies in oncology education reflect consolidated pre-clinical curricula. We developed a four-week curriculum, "Frontiers in Neoplasia," for fourth-year medical students, which included didactic lectures, interactive site visits, and team-based simulations of tumor boards and clinical trial design. A mixed methods approach was utilized to investigate the course's impact on students' understanding and interest in oncology, involving pre- and post-course responses to Likert-scale and open-ended questions.

The Impact of a Pilot Oncology Summer Internship on Oncology Awareness Among Early Medical Students from Underrepresented Backgrounds: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Oncology is a field of medicine projected to face provider shortages as cancer prevalence rises. Moreover, the diversity of oncologists remains subpar compared to that of the general population despite initiatives to increase the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds (UIM). Thus, first-year UIM medical students interested in oncology were invited to participate in a 4-week oncology summer internship (OSI) to gain clinical exposure and mentorship experiences.

Dry gel spinning of fungal hydrogels for the development of renewable yarns from food waste.

Background: Renewable materials made using environmentally friendly processes are in high demand as a solution to reduce the pollution created by the fashion industry. In recent years, there has been a growing trend in research on renewable materials focused on bio-based materials derived from fungi.

Results: Recently, fungal cell wall material of a chitosan producing fungus has been wet spun to monofilaments.

Comparative study of dexamethasone premedication regimens with docetaxel chemotherapy in early HER-2 positive breast cancer: A safety net hospital experience.

Introduction: Docetaxel can cause fluid retention reactions (FRRs) and hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). The manufacturer recommends a multi-day oral dexamethasone premedication to prevent these toxicities, but steroid related side effects and regimen compliance remain a concern. This study aimed to determine if modified dexamethasone premedication regimens resulted in differences in HSRs or FRRs to docetaxel.

GNAQ/GNA11 Mosaicism Is Associated with Abnormal Serum Calcium Indices and Microvascular Neurocalcification.

Mosaic mutations in genes GNAQ or GNA11 lead to a spectrum of diseases including Sturge-Weber syndrome and phakomatosis pigmentovascularis with dermal melanocytosis. The pathognomonic finding of localized "tramlining" on plain skull radiography, representing medium-sized neurovascular calcification and associated with postnatal neurological deterioration, led us to study calcium metabolism in a cohort of 42 children. In this study, we find that 74% of patients had at least one abnormal measurement of calcium metabolism, the commonest being moderately low serum ionized calcium (41%) or high parathyroid hormone (17%).

The Utility of Breast Cancer Index (BCI) Over Clinical Prognostic Tools for Predicting the Need for Extended Endocrine Therapy: A Safety Net Hospital Experience.

Introduction: Extended endocrine therapy (EET) benefits select patients with early-stage hormone-receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) but also incurs side effects and cost. The Clinical Treatment Score at Five Years (CTS5) is a free tool that estimates risks of late relapse in estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) BC using clinicopathologic factors. The Breast Cancer Index (BCI) incorporates 2 genomic assays to estimate late relapse risk and likelihood of benefit from EET.

Triple pass laser therapy for recalcitrant facial port wine stains.

Patients with recalcitrant facial port wine stains (rfPWS) can be challenging to manage, often leaving the clinician with difficult decisions for treatment options. 'Triple therapy' consists of using three different laser wavelengths at each treatment setting. The evidence on outcomes is limited as this treatment approach has not been previously reported to the best of our knowledge.

Clinicopathological Features and Outcomes in Individuals with Breast Cancer and ATM, CHEK2, or PALB2 Mutations.

Introduction: The moderate-penetrance germline mutations ATM, CHEK2, and PALB2 are implicated in an increased risk of the development of breast cancer. Whether these mutations provide clinical utility to guide treatment strategies and prognosis remains unknown.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study from a tertiary institution compared patients with stage 0-III breast cancer, and positive for ATM, CHEK2, or PALB2 mutations, with a matched cohort selected by randomization and negative for mutations.

Pulse Dye Laser Therapy Successful for Elastosis Perforans Serpiginosa.

Background: We describe a case of elastosis perforans serpiginosa and its successful management with PDL laser.

Case Presentation: A 15-year-old male presented with a history of itchy, raised, red and unsightly lesions on the back of his neck. He was diagnosed with Elastosis Perforans Serpiginosa on tissue biopsy and underwent pulse dye laser therapy over four years with excellent results.

Atypical capillary malformations with subsequent diplegia: A difficult case of capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome.

Capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome (CM-AVM) is a rare condition associated with mutations in the genes RASA1 and EPHB4. We present a challenging case of CM-AVM in a 17-month-old boy with permanent diplegia from an undiagnosed arteriovenous malformation underlying a large atypical capillary malformation over the lower thoracic spine. This case demonstrates that clinicians should have a low threshold for neuroimaging in the context of new neurologic symptoms in patients with atypical capillary malformations.

Multidisciplinary Teams Improve Gastric Cancer Treatment Efficiency at a Large Safety Net Hospital.

Background: Gastric cancer treatment initiation is a complex process. Inefficiencies in care coordination can lead to significant delays, which are often more prominent at safety net hospitals. Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) have been proposed as an effective solution.

Diagnosis and management of children with Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome: A multi-center case series.

Background: Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare, severe, sporadically occurring disorder characterized by multiple venous malformations.

Aims: To present and analyze a case series of pediatric patients with BRBNS and to describe diagnostic approaches and management options applied.

Patients And Methods: Multicenter, retrospective study, evaluating the diagnosis and management of children with BRBNS.

A Phase I Clinical Trial of the Phosphatidylserine-targeting Antibody Bavituximab in Combination With Radiation Therapy and Capecitabine in the Preoperative Treatment of Rectal Adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: There is interest in improving the tumoricidal effects of preoperative radiotherapy for rectal carcinoma by studying new radiosensitizers. The safety and toxicity profile of these combination regimens needs rigorous clinical evaluation. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of combining bavituximab, an antibody that targets exposed phosphatidylserine, with capecitabine and radiation therapy.

Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus (BRBN) Syndrome Is Caused by Somatic TEK (TIE2) Mutations.

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (Bean syndrome) is a rare, severe disorder of unknown cause, characterized by numerous cutaneous and internal venous malformations; gastrointestinal lesions are pathognomonic. We discovered somatic mutations in TEK, the gene encoding TIE2, in 15 of 17 individuals with blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome. Somatic mutations were also identified in five of six individuals with sporadically occurring multifocal venous malformations.

Propranolol for infantile haemangiomas: single centre experience of 250 cases and proposed therapeutic protocol.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of systemic propranolol for the treatment of complicated infantile haemangiomas.

Design: Retrospective review of case notes of paediatric patients treated with propranolol for complicated infantile haemangiomas.

Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital.

Transgenic expression of the human MRP2 transporter reduces cisplatin accumulation and nephrotoxicity in Mrp2-null mice.

The chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin is actively transported into proximal tubules, leading to acute renal injury. Previous studies suggest that the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) transporter may efflux cisplatin conjugates from cells. We sought to determine whether the absence of Mrp2 alters the accumulation and toxicity of platinum in the kidneys of mice and whether transgenic expression of the human MRP2 gene could protect against cisplatin injury in vivo.

RASA1 mutations and associated phenotypes in 68 families with capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation.

Capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation (CM-AVM) is an autosomal-dominant disorder, caused by heterozygous RASA1 mutations, and manifesting multifocal CMs and high risk for fast-flow lesions. A limited number of patients have been reported, raising the question of the phenotypic borders. We identified new patients with a clinical diagnosis of CM-AVM, and patients with overlapping phenotypes.