Cancer stem cell assay-guided chemotherapy improves survival of patients with recurrent glioblastoma in a randomized trial.

Therapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to the poor clinical outcomes of patients with recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) who fail standard of care (SOC) therapy. ChemoID is a clinically validated assay for identifying CSC-targeted cytotoxic therapies in solid tumors. In a randomized clinical trial (NCT03632135), the ChemoID assay, a personalized approach for selecting the most effective treatment from FDA-approved chemotherapies, improves the survival of patients with rGBM (2016 WHO classification) over physician-chosen chemotherapy.

A Retrospective Study of Brain Metastases From Solid Malignancies: The Effect of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Introduction: Brain metastases (BM) are associated with dismal prognosis, and there is a dearth of effective systemic therapy. In this study, patients with BM from multiple solid tumors were identified from TriNetX databases, their clinicopathological features were evaluated, and the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy were assessed.

Methods: Variables, including median overall survival (OS), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, primary diagnosis, and date of diagnosis, were retrieved from TriNetX, a real-world database.

Bone marrow involvement with Merkel cell carcinoma.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive cutaneous tumour. Most tumours occur in the head and neck, extremities or torso and 36% of them involve the face. Bone marrow involvement in MCC is rare and to our knowledge only nine cases reported in the English literature.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) following coronary artery bypass: case series and review of the literature.

We reviewed 10 cases of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) following cardiac surgery since November 1998. The object of the study was to define the natural history of post-CABG-TTP and to assess response to therapy. All patients underwent CABG; four also underwent aortic valve replacement and six mitral valve replacement.

Geographic access and age-related variation in chemotherapy use in elderly with metastatic breast cancer.

Significant age-related variation in chemotherapy use has been observed among elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), which may be partly attributable to geographic access factors such as local area physician practice culture and local health care system capacity. The purpose of the paper was to examine how age may modify the effect of geographic access on chemotherapy use in elderly patients with MBC. This was a retrospective cohort study based on the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-Medicare-linked database of 1992-2002.

Cancer incidence in elderly West Virginians.

West Virginia has one of the oldest populations in the nation. Cancer is a common disease among the elderly. With the projected growth of the elderly population (defined as 65 years and older), cancer will become a major public health burden.

Niacin induced coagulopathy as a manifestation of occult liver injury.

Niacin is an effective lipid-lowering agent which occasionally may cause hepatic failure. Liver enzymes are periodically tested during niacin therapy to assess for hepatic injury. We report a case of suppressed synthesis of hepatically derived coagulation factors and other liver proteins in a patient on niacin with no elevation of hepatic aminotransferases.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP): a community hospital experience and review of the literature.

We reviewed the records of 51 patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) who underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) at Charleston Area Medical Center between June 1992 and September 2005. There were 41 males and 10 females with a median age of 68 years (range 49-87). Four patients had a previous splenectomy, one of whom had it performed concomitantly with the CABG.

The benefit of the neutropenic diet: fact or fiction?

There really should not be a debate about the use of neutropenic diet for cancer patients. Its usefulness has never been scientifically proven. However, neutropenic diets remain in place in many institutions even though their usefulness is controversial.

Endometrial carcinoma diagnosed by scapular biopsy: A case report.

► Endometrial cancer diagnosed by scapular biopsy. ► Advanced cancer may present with metastatic disease to the bone.

Triple-negative breast cancer in West Virginia.

In 2007, the American Cancer Society ranked West Virginia 43rd in breast cancer incidence rates for individual states. Despite our improvements in medical care, the advanced pathological characteristics of breast cancer at diagnosis receive little attention. Consequently, we compared the changing pattern of early breast cancer in several cohort studies conducted at regional medical centers in West Virginia.

Use of radiation after breast conserving surgery (BCS) for DCIS and early invasive breast cancer at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC). A study of compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends that patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and stage I/II invasive breast cancer receive radiation therapy following breast conserving surgery (BCS). The purpose for our study was to determine 1) the percentage of patients with DCIS and stage I/II breast cancer who received radiation therapy following BCS and 2) the clinical factors associated with the use of radiation. We retrospectively studied 606 patients treated between 2000 and 2007 with BCS for DCIS (n=104) and stage I/II breast cancer (n=502).

Building a statewide clinical trials network for cancer care in West Virginia.

In the United States, mortality rates have been declining for certain tumors, For the majority of advanced stage cancer types, cure is unattainable but treatment is still evolving. Advances in the treatment of cancer can be achieved by enrolling patients in cancer clinical trials. Presently, less than 3% of adult cancer patients participate on clinical trials in the United States.

Does sex make a difference in survival of patients undergoing resection for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)?

Objective: To determine if sex associated differences exist in presentation and survival of patients undergoing resection for early stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Retrospective review of 2207 patients with Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Summary Stage I, II or III (local or regional disease) patients eligible for surgery, nonsmall cell lung cancer diagnosed and treated in WV between 1993 and 2000, which underwent surgery as a first course of treatment. Data set obtained from the West Virginia Cancer Registry.

Pharmacological thromboembolic prophylaxis for medical patients in a tertiary care, teaching community hospital: room for improvement.

Venous Thrombembolism (VTE) is a potentially lethal complication in hospitalized patients. Studies indicate that pharmacological prophylaxis may reduce the incidence of VTE. However, the use of VTE prophylaxis remains unclear.

Gefitinib (IRESSA, ZD 1839) as a salvage treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

This study assessed the anti-tumor activity and tolerability of gefitinib (IRESSA, ZD 1839) in a series of patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) seen at Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, W.Va. All patients were required to have proven advanced or metastatic NSCLC, along with meeting other study criteria.

Primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma of the arm with a novel chromosomal translocation t(12;21)(q13;q22): a case report.

We report a reciprocal translocation between the long arms of chromosomes 12 and 21, t(12;21)(q13;q22), in a patient with primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma. Follicle center lymphoma of the skin and follicle center cell lymphoma of the lymph node are morphologically and immunophenotypically very similar. However, the clinical behavior and prognosis of these tumors are different due to the molecular basis of these malignancies.

The prevalence of viral hepatitis and HIV infections in patients with congenital bleeding disorders.

Patients with clotting disorders, including hemophilias A and B, and von Willebrand Disease generally receive pooled human blood products, and are at high risk for HIV-1 and hepatitis A, B and C viral infection. This retrospective study describes patients receiving treatment at a federally funded Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) from 1998 - 2002 and assesses the prevalence of viral infection. In addition, current rates of viral infection are compared to 1984-1996 rates.

Prognostic indicators for stage II (Dukes' stage B) adenocarcinoma of the colon.

To determine the prognostic indicators that are associated with lower disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in stage II colon cancer patients, the tumor registry records were reviewed for all patients diagnosed with stage II and III adenocarcinoma of the colon at Charleston Area Medical Center from 1986 to 1994. The prognostic indicators of 174 stage II patients who had not undergone treatment were assessed for DFS and OS. The results demonstrated that the 5-year OS was reduced for those patients with the following prognostic indicators: male, obstruction at time of presentation, need for blood transfusion, and those who had < 7 LNR (lymph nodes removed).

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura following cardiovascular surgery: a case report.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a rare clinical syndrome characterized by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, was almost uniformly fatal until the introduction of plasma exchange in 1970. The thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura following cardiovascular surgeries is relatively a new entity with high mortality if untreated. Plasma exchange is the most important therapy in this disease with good clinical outcomes.

Incidence of colorectal cancer in West Virginia from 1993-1999: an update by gender, age, subsite and stage.

The sensitivities of different screening methods for pre-cancerous adenomas may affect the apparent anatomical distribution of colorectal cancers. Our objective was to describe changes in the distribution of left and right-sided colon cancers by time while adjusting for age, gender, stage and year of diagnosis. We studied the 7,895 cases of colorectal cancer reported to the West Virginia Cancer Registry between 1993 and 1999 and termed cancers proximal to, but not including the sigmoid colon as "right-sided," and the remaining tumors as "left-sided.

The role of the bone marrow examination in the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura: case series and literature review.

The need for a bone marrow examination was assessed in patients with clinical and laboratory features consistent with ITP; the literature was reviewed. The records of all patients undergoing a bone marrow examination between January 1988 to January 1998 were retrospectively reviewed to determine which were motivated by the suspicion of ITP. Data were collected from hospital and outpatient medical and pathology records.