Health Disparities among Patients with Cancer Who Received Molecular Testing for Biomarker-Directed Therapy.

Health disparities present a barrier to successful oncology treatment. The potential for precision oncology to reduce health disparities has not previously been analyzed. We performed a retrospective analysis of 12,627 patients from six major cancer centers whose tumors underwent molecular testing at Caris Life Sciences between 2010 and 2020.

Genomic, immunologic, and prognostic associations of TROP2 (TACSTD2) expression in solid tumors.

Background: TROP2 (TACSTD2) expression is associated with decreased overall survival (OS) in some solid tumors, and the TROP2-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) sacituzumab govitecan has been approved in breast and urothelial carcinomas. We aimed to explore the multi-omic landscape associated with TACSTD2 gene expression in various solid tumors to identify patients most likely to benefit from this approach.

Methods: Breast (N = 11 246), colorectal (N = 15 425), hepatocellular (N = 433), pancreatic (N = 5488), and urothelial (N = 4125) tumors were stratified into quartiles by TACSTD2 gene expression, analyzed by next-generation DNA sequencing, whole transcriptome sequencing, and immunohistochemistry at Caris Life Sciences (Phoenix, AZ).

Does a "Western Lifestyle" Confer a Higher Burden of Colorectal Cancer? A Comparison of EU15+ Countries versus Global Trends between 1990 and 2019.

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the U.S. is declining in adults 50 years and older; however, recent studies suggest an increasing disease burden among adults under age 50.

International Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Durvalumab in Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Importance: Standard of care for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) involves definitive chemoradiotherapy followed by maintenance therapy with durvalumab. However, the cost of durvalumab has been cited as a barrier to its use in various health systems.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of durvalumab vs placebo as maintenance therapy in patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC from 4 international payer perspectives (US, Brazil, Singapore, and Spain).

Disparities in Electronic Cigarette Use: A Narrative Review.

The prevalence of electronic cigarette use has been declared an epidemic by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2018, particularly among youth aged 18-24 years old.

Trends in Lung Cancer Incidence and Mortality (1990-2019) in the United States: A Comprehensive Analysis of Gender and State-Level Disparities.

Purpose: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. This study aims to analyze lung cancer incidence, mortality, and related statistics from 1990 to 2019, focusing on national- and state-level trends and exploring potential disparities between sexes.

Methods: The Global Burden of Disease database was used to extract tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer mortality data from 1990 to 2019 for both males and females and across all states of the United States.

TEM8 in Oncogenesis: Protein Biology, Pre-Clinical Agents, and Clinical Rationale.

The TEM8 protein represents an emerging biomarker in many solid tumor histologies. Given the various roles it plays in oncogenesis, including but not limited to angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and cell migration, TEM8 has recently served and will continue to serve as the target of novel oncologic therapies. We review herein the role of TEM8 in oncogenesis.

Social Determinants of Health Impact on Survival of Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Background: Patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) have a high mortality risk, even after optimal management and accounting for differences in comorbidities. We aimed to assess the overall survival of patients with operable MPM based on social determinants of health (SDH). We hypothesized that an SDH score can predict patients with poorer overall survival despite optimal management.

Efficacy and outcomes of ramucirumab and docetaxel in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after disease progression on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: Results of a monocentric, retrospective analysis.

Current first-line standard therapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer without driver mutations involves chemotherapy and immunotherapy combination. Prior to the advent of immune checkpoint inhibition, REVEL, a randomized phase III trial demonstrated improved progression-free and overall survival with ramucirumab and docetaxel (ram+doc) in patients who failed platinum-based first-line therapy. Long-term outcomes related to second-line ramucirumab and docetaxel after first-line immunotherapy exposure remain unknown.

Professional Challenges for United States Hematology/Oncology Trainees during COVID-19.

COVID-19 has been devastating for patients with cancer. In this commentary, we chronicle the pandemic's downstream impacts on United States hematology/oncology trainees in terms of professional development and career advancement. These include loss of access to clinical electives and protocol workshops, delays in research approval and execution, mentor shortages due to academic burnout, and obstacles with career transitions (most notably the post-fellowship job search).

Disparities in Survival Due to Social Determinants of Health and Access to Treatment in US Patients With Operable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Importance: Outcomes of localized malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) remain poor despite multimodality therapy. It is unclear what role disparities have in the overall survival (OS) of patients with operable MPM.

Objective: To examine survival disparities associated with social determinants of health (SDOHs) and treatment access in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Prevalence and Outcomes of COVID-19 among Hematology/Oncology Patients and Providers of a Community-Facing Health System during the B1.1.529 ("Omicron") SARS-CoV-2 Variant Wave.

(1) Background: the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic continues, and patients actively receiving chemotherapy are known to be at enhanced risk for developing symptomatic disease with poorer outcomes. Our study evaluated the prevalence of COVID-19 among patients and providers of our community-facing county health system during the B1.1.

Race & sex disparities related to low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening eligibility criteria: A lung cancer cases review.

Introduction: The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations do not account for race and sex differences in lung cancer risk. We compared the sensitivity for finding lung cancer cases eligible for lung cancer screening (LCS) by USPSTF 2013 recommendations versus the PLCOm2012 model at an equivalent threshold.

Methods: Using Georgetown University Hospital tumor registry, we identified lung cancer cases (≥55 years old) between 2014 and 2018.

Effects of a Resident-Led Subject Exam Review on Mean Scores of Internal Medicine Subject Exam: a Case-control Study.

The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) offers Subject Examinations (SE) for students completing the Internal Medicine (IM) clerkship. There is a paucity of literature in regard to the efficacy of review methods prior to rendering said examination. Our medical center's residents conducted a structured review session in preparation for SE administration.

Real-world survival outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitors in large-cell neuroendocrine tumors of lung.

Background: Little is known regarding the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with advanced large-cell neuroendocrine lung carcinoma (aLCNEC).

Methods: 125 consecutive patients with aLCNEC were identified in the electronic databases of 4 participating cancer centers. The patients were divided into group A (patients who received ICI, n=41) and group B (patients who did not receive ICI, n=84).

Characterization of the Demographics and Psychiatric Co-Morbidites Among Clients of a Human Rights Clinic in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.

Miami-Dade County (MDC) represents a major port of entry for people seeking asylum in the United States, and few studies have systematically evaluated the demographic characteristics of this vulnerable population. Moreover, while the burden of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are thought to be higher in this population, the prevalence of these psychiatric conditions in our community is unknown. An analysis of demographics and psychiatric co-morbidities of the Human Rights Clinic (HRC) of Miami's 93 clients between 2010 and 2015 was conducted.

High-grade B-cell lymphoma masquerading as peritoneal lymphomatosis.

Peritoneal lymphomatosis represents a rare presentation of any type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, with relatively few cases reported in the literature. We present here the case of a 61-year-old man who originally presented with increased abdominal distention associated with shortness of breath and diaphoresis who was found to have evidence of peritoneal carcinomatosis on CT scan. Biopsy confirmed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and the working diagnosis was subsequently modified to peritoneal lymphomatosis.