Evaluation of circulating tumor DNA as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in BRAF V600E mutated colorectal cancer-results from the FIRE-4.5 study.

The randomized FIRE-4.5 (AIO KRK0116) trial compared first-line therapy with FOLFOXIRI (folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan) plus either cetuximab or bevacizumab in B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. This study was accompanied by a prospective translational project analyzing cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma to test whether ctDNA analysis may help to guide clinical treatment decision making.

Coinhibition of topoisomerase 1 and BRD4-mediated pause release selectively kills pancreatic cancer via readthrough transcription.

Pancreatic carcinoma lacks effective therapeutic strategies resulting in poor prognosis. Transcriptional dysregulation due to alterations in KRAS and MYC affects initiation, development, and survival of this tumor type. Using patient-derived xenografts of KRAS- and MYC-driven pancreatic carcinoma, we show that coinhibition of topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) and bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) synergistically induces tumor regression by targeting promoter pause release.

Lasting response by vertical inhibition with cetuximab and trametinib in KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer patient-derived xenografts.

Although approximately half of all metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs) harbour mutations in KRAS or NRAS, hardly any progress has been made regarding targeted treatment for this group over the last few years. Here, we investigated the efficacy of vertical inhibition of the RAS-pathway by targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumours with primary KRAS mutation. In total, 19 different PDX models comprising 127 tumours were tested.

Minor microbial alterations after faecal diversion do not affect the healing process of anus-near pressure injuries in patients with spinal cord injury - results of a matched case-control study.

Study Design: Retrospective matched case-control study including patients with spinal cord injury who presented with an anus-near pressure injury. Two groups were formed based on the presence of a diverting stoma.

Objectives: To evaluate the primary microbial colonisation and secondary infection of anus-near pressure injuries depending on the presence of a pre-existing diverting stoma and to investigate the effect on the wound healing.