Role of RPA Phosphorylation in the ATR-Dependent G2 Cell Cycle Checkpoint.

Cells respond to DNA double-strand breaks by initiating DSB repair and ensuring a cell cycle checkpoint. The primary responder to DSB repair is non-homologous end joining, which is an error-prone repair pathway. However, when DSBs are generated after DNA replication in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, a second DSB repair pathway, homologous recombination, can come into action.

A patient with diabetes insipidus, anterior hypopituitarism and pituitary stalk thickening.

Background: A 42-year-old woman presented to the neuroendocrine unit of a hospital with recent-onset polydipsia, polyuria and oligomenorrhea. She had no visual symptoms, head injury or history of malignancy.

Investigations: Measurement of serum sodium and osmolality (as well as urine osmolality) after water deprivation, both before and after desmopressin administration.

Supportive care of brain tumor patients.

The supportive care of patients who have brain tumors consists mainly of the treatment of brain edema, seizures, venous thromboembolism, and cognitive dysfunction. Each of these complications may occur in patients who have primary or metastatic brain tumors. The development of any of these complications significantly increases the morbidity and mortality associated with brain tumors.

Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression: update on management.

Until recently, patients with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) were routinely treated with corticosteroids and radiotherapy (RT). However, major advances in imaging, recognition of new prognostic factors, and new techniques in RT and surgery have led to a number of management choices that need to be considered when treating a patient with MESCC. In our view, the management should be individualized taking into account many variables.

Cognitive sequelae of brain tumor treatment.

Purpose Of Review: The neurocognitive sequelae of anticancer treatment have received increasing attention especially among individuals with low-grade gliomas, primary central nervous system lymphoma and those undergoing prophylactic cranial irradiation for systemic malignancies. These groups are especially vulnerable because they often experience extended survival during which neurocognitive complications of therapy may cause more impairment than the tumor itself. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent clinical reports of neurocognitive sequelae among patients without significant central nervous system tumor burden and to describe the experimental studies which may explain the pathogenesis of the disorder.

Metastatic epidural cord compression.

The past few years have witnessed remarkable advances in spinal imaging, radiosurgery, and minimally invasive procedures, such as vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, as well as improved spinal surgical options with stabilization through instrumentation. These advances provide opportunities to treat patients with vertebral metastases and metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) more successfully. In addition, a new study demonstrates that the time to develop motor weakness is an independent prognostic factor in outcome in patients with MESCC.