Metastatic Breast Cancer: Prolonging Life in Routine Oncology Care.

Overall survival (OS) of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has improved within controlled clinical trials. Whether these advances translate into improved OS in routine care is controversial. We therefore analyzed retrospectively unselected female patients from five oncology group practices and one university outpatient clinic, whose initial diagnosis of MBC was between 1995 and 2022.

Association between serum IgG concentrations and the incidence of infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and secondary immunodeficiency under treatment with Privigen.

Objective: To investigate the association between serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations and the incidence of infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and secondary immunodeficiency receiving treatment with Privigen.

Materials And Methods: Data was analyzed from a non-interventional study conducted in 31 centers in Germany and 1 in Austria. Adult CLL patients with hypogammaglobulinemia and recurrent infections were allowed to enter the study upon signing informed consent, if a prior decision for treatment with Privigen had been made.

Spotlight on the real-world treatment of CML pts in Germany: a retrospective survey in private oncology practices.

Clinical trials in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are usually carried out in specialized centers whereas primary care for patients (pts) with CML is mainly provided by local oncology practices. The aim of this study was to assess treatment practices in pts with CML in the setting of private oncology practices in Germany. We collected data of 819 pts with a confirmed diagnosis (dx) of CML in 2013 or later from 43 practices.

Combinatorial single-cell profiling of major chromatin types with MAbID.

Gene expression programs result from the collective activity of numerous regulatory factors. Studying their cooperative mode of action is imperative to understand gene regulation, but simultaneously measuring these factors within one sample has been challenging. Here we introduce Multiplexing Antibodies by barcode Identification (MAbID), a method for combinatorial genomic profiling of histone modifications and chromatin-binding proteins.

Incidence and Resolution of Eribulin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (IRENE) in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer: Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Eribulin, a halichondrin-class microtubule dynamics inhibitor, is a preferred treatment option for patients with advanced breast cancer who have been pretreated with an anthracycline and a taxane. Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common side effect of chemotherapies for breast cancer and other tumors. The Incidence and Resolution of Eribulin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (IRENE) noninterventional postauthorization safety study assessed the incidence and severity of PN in patients with breast cancer treated with eribulin.

Bioconversion of Different Waste Streams of Animal and Vegetal Origin and Manure by Black Soldier Fly Larvae L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae).

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are considered a commercially viable solution for global organic waste problems. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of rearing BSFL on a wide range of low-value waste streams and its potential to transform them into high-quality animal feed and fertilizer. Six waste streams of different origins were selected and each tested in triplicate.

Patients with indolent lymphomas are at high risk of infections: experience from a German outpatient clinic.

Background: Patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) have an increased risk of infections which is caused by pathomechanisms of the diseases itself but also as a result of anti-tumor therapy. Especially the effects of anti-CD20 antibodies are well understood as these lead to decreased antibody production. Most studies regarding immunodeficiency in B-NHLs were conducted with multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

Curricular course for medical students at a hematology and oncology specialty practice, 2010-2022.

For several years now, medical students have also been taught general practice at academic medical teaching practices. Specialty practices have not yet been included in the curricular education. Since 1998, we have conducted a block seminar in hematology twice per semester for eighth-semester medical students.

Distinct roles for CKM-Mediator in controlling Polycomb-dependent chromosomal interactions and priming genes for induction.

Precise control of gene expression underpins normal development. This relies on mechanisms that enable communication between gene promoters and other regulatory elements. In embryonic stem cells (ESCs), the cyclin-dependent kinase module Mediator complex (CKM-Mediator) has been reported to physically link gene regulatory elements to enable gene expression and also prime genes for induction during differentiation.

Retrospective Analysis of Treatment Pathways in Patients With BRAF-mutant Metastatic Colorectal Carcinoma - MORSE.

Background/aim: Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a heterogeneous disease with distinct molecular subtypes. The BRAF-mutation found in approximately 8-12% of mCRC patients is associated with poor prognosis. Guideline recommendations for this population are mostly based on small cohorts due to lack of clinical data.

Prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia with lipegfilgrastim in patients with lung cancer: final results from the non-interventional study NADIR.

Objective: Real-world evidence on the application of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor lipegfilgrastim for the reduction of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN) is limited. The NADIR study aimed to evaluate effectiveness and safety of lipegfilgrastim as primary or secondary prophylaxis in patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy in routine clinical practice.

Methods: The non-interventional study NADIR (German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) Number DRKS00005711) enrolled 156 patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 145 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who received lipegfilgrastim during chemotherapy.

Characteristics of patients with brain metastases from human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer: subanalysis of Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer Registry.

Background: Up to 40% of patients with metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer develop brain metastases (BMs). Understanding of clinical features of these patients with HER2-positive breast cancer and BMs is vital.

Patients And Methods: A total of 2948 patients from the Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer registry were available for this analysis, of whom 1311 had primary tumors with the HER2-positive subtype.

A Mediator-cohesin axis controls heterochromatin domain formation.

The genome consists of regions of transcriptionally active euchromatin and more silent heterochromatin. We reveal that the formation of heterochromatin domains requires cohesin turnover on DNA. Stabilization of cohesin on DNA through depletion of its release factor WAPL leads to a near-complete loss of heterochromatin domains.

Shared decision-making in routine breast cancer care in Germany-A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Many preference-sensitive decisions have to be made in breast cancer care and little is known about the decision-making processes between breast cancer patients and the different health care professionals engaged in their treatment.

Methods: All female breast cancer patients who underwent surgery in four German breast centers between 07/2016 and 12/2018 were invited to fill in a survey. The decision-making process was evaluated using the 9-item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) and a German measure to assess satisfaction with care (ZAPA).

Bioconversion of Digestate, Pig Manure and Vegetal Residue-Based Waste Operated by Black Soldier Fly Larvae, L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae).

Insects can play an important role to upgrade waste streams into high-grade proteins and fats as food and feed ingredients or non-food products. The aim of this research was to assess the feasibility to use waste streams with a low value for direct application as animal feed as substrates to grow BSF larvae in terms of larval growth rate, waste reduction index, and efficiency of conversion of ingested feed. The growth of black soldier fly (BSF), larvae and conversion of biowaste was assessed in triplicate in biowaste substrates: chicken feed (CF; reference diet), pig manure solid (PMS), Betafert solid (BTFS), swill (SW), olive pulp (OP), pig manure liquid mixed with chicken feed (PMLCF), and silage grass (SG).

Train driver experience: A big data analysis of learning and retaining the new ERTMS system.

Now and in the coming years a new European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is being deployed on a larger scale. In the system level chosen in the Netherlands (Level 2) lineside signals will disappear and the train driver will receive all information needed for safe and efficient train operation through an interface inside the train cab. Furthermore, procedures, driving skills and communication will alter.

Hi-C analyses with GENOVA: a case study with cohesin variants.

Conformation capture-approaches like Hi-C can elucidate chromosome structure at a genome-wide scale. Hi-C datasets are large and require specialised software. Here, we present GENOVA: a user-friendly software package to analyse and visualise chromosome conformation capture (3C) data.

Impact of chromatin context on Cas9-induced DNA double-strand break repair pathway balance.

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair is mediated by multiple pathways. It is thought that the local chromatin context affects the pathway choice, but the underlying principles are poorly understood. Using a multiplexed reporter assay in combination with Cas9 cutting, we systematically measure the relative activities of three DSB repair pathways as a function of chromatin context in >1,000 genomic locations.

Predicting Prognosis of Breast Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases in the BMBC Registry-Comparison of Three Different GPA Prognostic Scores.

Several scores have been developed in order to estimate the prognosis of patients with brain metastases (BM) by objective criteria. The aim of this analysis was to validate all three published graded-prognostic-assessment (GPA)-scores in a subcohort of 882 breast cancer (BC) patients with BM in the Brain Metastases in the German Breast Cancer (BMBC) registry. The median age at diagnosis of BM was 57 years.

Characteristics and Clinical Outcome of Breast Cancer Patients with Asymptomatic Brain Metastases.

: Brain metastases (BM) have become a major challenge in patients with metastatic breast cancer. : The aim of this analysis was to characterize patients with asymptomatic BM ( = 580) in the overall cohort of 2589 patients with BM from our Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer Network Germany (BMBC) registry. : Compared to symptomatic patients, asymptomatic patients were slightly younger at diagnosis (median age: 55.

Health status and infections in patients with symptomatic primary and secondary immunoglobulin G (IgG) deficiencies receiving intravenous IgG replacement.

Background: The effects of intravenous immunoglobulin G replacement on perceived health and infection susceptibility of patients suffering from immunoglobulin G (IgG) deficiencies should be evaluated in a prospective analysis.

Methods: Patients with symptomatic primary or secondary IgG deficiencies were interviewed prior to the first IgG infusion (t) and over the course of their treatment (t - t). The respondents rated their current health using a 100 point scale (EQ-5D-5L), ranging from 0 ('worst imaginable health') to 100 ('best imaginable health').

Long Term Follow-up Data and Health-Related Quality of Life in Frontline Therapy of Fit Patients Treated With FCR Versus BR (CLL10 Trial of the GCLLSG).

Fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) was compared to bendamustine and rituximab (BR) in an international, randomized, open label, phase 3 trial in 561 previously untreated, fit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) without del (17p). Primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS). The final primary endpoint analysis after 37.