Spinster Homologue 2 Expression Correlates With Improved Patient Survival in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Despite Association With Lymph-Angiogenesis.

Background: Spinster homologue 2 (SPNS2) is a transporter of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive lipid linked to cancer progression. We studied the link between gene expression, tumor aggressiveness, and outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Gene expression in patients with HCC was analyzed from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (n = 350) and GSE76427 (n = 115) as a validation cohort, as well as liver tissue cohort GSE6764 (n = 75).

A case from the future of HPB surgical oncology: resection of biliary tract cancer after immunotherapy.

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) have limited response to systemic therapy and poor prognosis. Immunotherapy in BTCs has been investigated in recent years. Here, we report a case of locally advanced, unresectable gallbladder adenocarcinoma that progressed on chemotherapy.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) produced by sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) and exported via ABCC1 is related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression.

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate (S1P) is produced by Sphingosine Kinase 1 (SphK1) in the cell and is transported out of the cells by ABCC1 transporter. S1P induces inflammation, angiogenesis and modulates tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in autocrine and paracrine manner. We hypothesized that high S1P export is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and worse survival.

High BRCA2 Gene Expression is Associated with Aggressive and Highly Proliferative Breast Cancer.

Background: Mutations of BRCA genes are the most studied in breast cancer, but the clinical relevance of BRCA2 gene expression has been less well studied. Given that BRCA2 is a DNA repair gene, we hypothesized that high BRCA2 expression is associated with highly proliferative and aggressive biology in breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: A total of 4342 breast cancer patients were analyzed from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, n = 1069) as the testing cohort and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE96058 (n = 3273) as a validation cohort.

Angiogenesis is associated with an attenuated tumor microenvironment, aggressive biology, and worse survival in gastric cancer patients.

Angiogenesis is a cornerstone of cancer as it allows tumors to receive oxygen and nutrients. A high level of angiogenesis within a tumor may therefore be indicative of its aggressiveness. In this study, we examined this hypothesis in gastric cancer.

Feasibility of Remote Occupational Therapy Services via Telemedicine in a Breast Cancer Recovery Program.

Importance: Access to perioperative breast surgery occupational therapy services remains limited in remote areas.

Objective: To assess the feasibility and acceptance of occupational therapy services using a "hub-and-spoke" telemedicine model.

Design: Prospective study using videoconferencing to connect the occupational therapist, located at the hub site, with the patient, located at the spoke site.

M1 Macrophage and M1/M2 ratio defined by transcriptomic signatures resemble only part of their conventional clinical characteristics in breast cancer.

Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play a critical role in biology of various cancers, including breast cancer. In the current study, we defined "M1" macrophage and "M1"/"M2" ratio by transcriptomic signatures using xCell. We investigated the association between high level of "M1" macrophage or "M1"/"M2" ratio and the tumor immune microenvironment by analyzing the transcriptome of publicly available cohorts, TCGA and METABRIC.

KRAS signaling enriched triple negative breast cancer is associated with favorable tumor immune microenvironment and better survival.

KRAS signaling is associated with cancer progression in several cancers. Upregulation of KRAS signaling is often seen in cancers that harbor high KRAS mutation rate, such as pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Less than 2% of breast cancers have KRAS mutation, however, the alteration of the effector signaling such as PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways are well known.

Lipomatous Soft Tissue Masses: Challenging the Paradigm of Routine Preoperative Biopsy.

Background: Lipomatous masses are the most common soft tissue tumors. While the majority are benign lipomas, it is important to identify those masses that are malignant prior to excision. Current guidelines recommend core needle biopsy (CNB) for all lipomatous masses larger than 3-5 cm.

Advances in Translational Research and Clinical Care in Pancreatic Cancer: Where Are We Headed?

While significant advances have been made in the treatment of many different solid tumors, pancreatic cancer remains a glaring exception. Overall 5-year survival rates for pancreatic cancer remain in the single digits. While newer chemotherapy regimens such as FOLFIRINOX and nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine have demonstrated modest improvement in survival benefit for metastatic disease and have improved the resectability rates of previously borderline or locally advanced tumors, clinically significant improvements from immunotherapy and targeted therapy remain to be demonstrated.

Effect of the Affordable Care Act on breast cancer presentation at a safety net hospital.

Introduction: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated the expansion of Medicaid in order to increase access to health care services. We examined the effect of the ACA on breast cancer screening and diagnosis at a Los Angeles safety net hospital.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of breast cancer patients treated at our institution.

In vitro testing of an anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody, clone 2C10, in primates and pigs.

Background: The CD40/CD154 and CD28/B7 pathways are important in allo- and xeno-transplantation. Owing to the thrombotic complications of anti-CD154mAb, anti-CD40mAb has emerged as a promising inhibitor of costimulation. Various clones of anti-CD40mAb have been developed against primate species, e.

Further evidence for sustained systemic inflammation in xenograft recipients (SIXR).

Introduction: In pig-to-baboon heart/artery patch transplantation models, adequate costimulation blockade prevents a T-cell response. After heart transplantation, coagulation dysfunction (thrombocytopenia, reduced fibrinogen, increased D-dimer) and inflammation (increased C-reactive protein [CRP]) develop. We evaluated whether coagulation dysfunction and/or inflammation can be detected following pig artery patch transplantation.

Pig-to-baboon heterotopic heart transplantation--exploratory preliminary experience with pigs transgenic for human thrombomodulin and comparison of three costimulation blockade-based regimens.

Background: Three costimulation blockade-based regimens have been explored after transplantation of hearts from pigs of varying genetic backgrounds to determine whether CTLA4-Ig (abatacept) or anti-CD40mAb+CTLA4-Ig (belatacept) can successfully replace anti-CD154mAb.

Methods: All pigs were on an α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout/CD46 transgenic (GTKO.CD46) background.

Belatacept in kidney transplantation.

Purpose Of Review: Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) play a major role in long-term renal allograft dysfunction because of their nephrotoxic side-effects. Belatacept, a selective costimulation blockade agent, is the first biological agent approved for maintenance immunosuppression in renal transplantation.

Recent Findings: Studies have shown better preservation of glomerular filtration rate and improved metabolic end points with belatacept when compared with CNIs.

Progress in pig-to-non-human primate transplantation models (1998-2013): a comprehensive review of the literature.

Background: The pig-to-non-human primate model is the standard choice for in vivo studies of organ and cell xenotransplantation. In 1998, Lambrigts and his colleagues surveyed the entire world literature and reported all experimental studies in this model. With the increasing number of genetically engineered pigs that have become available during the past few years, this model is being utilized ever more frequently.

Is there a correlation between anti-pig antibody levels in humans and geographic location during childhood?

Background: An initial observation suggested high levels of anti-pig antibodies in healthy humans who had spent their childhood in the Middle East. We tested larger cohorts to determine whether anti-pig antibody levels correlated with the geographic location in which the subject spent his/her childhood, because this might have implications for clinical trials of xenotransplantation.

Methods: Anti-pig IgM and IgG levels (by flow cytometry using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from wild-type and α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout pigs) and anti-Gal IgM and IgG levels (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were measured in 75 volunteers.

New concepts of immune modulation in xenotransplantation.

The shortage of human organs for transplantation has focused research on the possibility of transplanting pig organs into humans. Many factors contribute to the failure of a pig organ graft in a primate. A rapid innate immune response (natural anti-pig antibody, complement activation, and an innate cellular response; e.

Right posterior branch draining into intra-pancreatic common duct: the triple duct sign.

Simultaneous dilatation of pancreatic duct (PD) and common bile duct (CBD) is often seen on radio imaging in pancreatic head malignancy or chronic pancreatitis. This is called double duct sign. However, dilatation of aberrant bile duct along with PD and CBD resulting in triple duct sign on radio imaging has not been reported in literature till date.