Precision medicine for urothelial carcinoma: An international perspective.

The treatment landscape of urothelial cancers has evolved in the last decade with the approval of chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, and antibody drug conjugates. Although improvements in response and survival have been achieved with these strategies, in some scenarios their benefit is still questionable. Current efforts to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers are crucial for better patient selection and treatment outcomes.

Survival Impact of Combined Biguanide and Temozolomide in Glioblastoma Preclinical Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive tumor known for its poor prognosis. Despite extensive research into its molecular and clinical aspects, the current management strategies have shown limited efficacy in improving survival rate. Despite some preclinical studies exploring the combination of temozolomide (TMZ) with biguanides such as metformin (MET) and others, the potential benefits of this combination remain uncertain.

The Diagnostic Accuracy (DA) of ColonView Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) in Detecting Colorectal Adenoma (CRA) Can Be Improved by the Diagnostic Models (DM) that Include Triage and Risk Features of CRA.

Background/aim: This study assessed whether the diagnostic accuracy (DA) of ColonView (CV) fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in detecting colorectal adenoma (CRA) can be improved by the diagnostic models (DM) that include triage and risk features of CRA.

Patients And Methods: A total of 5,090 participants of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) screening were recruited prospectively between January 2014 and December 2016. The CRN cohort of 486 patients included 222 CRA patients and 264 non-CRA patients of whom three consecutive fecal samples were analyzed by two fecal occult blood (FOB) assays (CV FIT test, HemoccultSENSA test).

Effects of Lactate Transport Inhibition by AZD3965 in Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Bladder Cancer.

The Warburg Effect is characterized by high rates of glucose uptake and lactate production. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are crucial to avoid cellular acidosis by internal lactate accumulation, being largely overexpressed by cancer cells and associated with cancer aggressiveness. The MCT1-specific inhibitor AZD3965 has shown encouraging results in different cancer models.

Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers in triple-negative breast cancer: a translational research study of the NACATRINE trial.

Liquid biopsy is increasingly vital in monitoring neoadjuvant breast cancer treatment. This study collected plasma samples at three time points from participants in the Neoadjuvant Carboplatin in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (NACATRINE), analyzing miRNA expression with NanoString's nCounter Human v3 miRNA assay. In the carboplatin arm, four ct-miRNAs exhibited dynamic changes linked to pathologic complete response, with a combined area under the curve of 0.

Cancer mortality and premature deaths among hairdressers in Brazil.

Unlabelled: Hairdresser is an occupation classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as probably carcinogenic (Group 2A) for lung and bladder cancer, but evidence is accumulating on its association with other cancer types. To our knowledge, this is the first study aimed to compare the cancer mortality and premature mortality between hairdressers and other workers in Brazil.

Methods: In this exploratory study, information on deaths by selected cancers that occurred in Brazil, from 1996 to 2020, among workers aged 20-70y, with identified occupation was gathered from the Brazilian Mortality Information System.

The impact of electronic versus paper-based data capture on data collection logistics and on missing scores in thyroid cancer patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the type of data capture on the time and help needed for collecting patient-reported outcomes as well as on the proportion of missing scores.

Methods: In a multinational prospective study, thyroid cancer patients from 17 countries completed a validated questionnaire measuring quality of life. Electronic data capture was compared to the paper-based approach using multivariate logistic regression.

Unveiling the role of MGMT and DAPK hypermethylation in response to anti-EGFR agents: Molecular insights for advancing HNSCC treatment.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is frequently activated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and serves as a valuable target for therapy. Despite the availability of the EGFR inhibitors Cetuximab, Afatinib, and Allitinib, there are limited predictive markers for their response. Understanding molecular aberrations in HNSCC could facilitate the identification of new strategies for patient clinical and biological classification, offering novel therapeutic avenues.

Are there clinical and subclinical/pathological forms of Paget's disease of the breast?

Introduction: Breast disease management has changed over recent decades, related to molecular subtype, oncoplastic surgery and targeted therapies. Nevertheless, literature on Paget's disease of the breast (PDB), initially described as a clinical entity and now considered a multifocal/multicentric disease.

Methods: PDB was classified as clinical in the presence of areolar abnormalities and as subclinical/pathological in all other cases.

Orbital Complications and Cost Analysis of Enucleation by Myoconjunctival versus Conventional Techniques for Retinoblastoma.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to compare complication rates and hospital costs of myoconjunctival versus conventional enucleation techniques in retinoblastoma.

Methods: This retrospective cohort and cost analysis reviewed patients with retinoblastoma treated by primary or secondary enucleation between 2003 and 2021 and a minimum 6-month follow-up. Cases were reviewed for three postsurgical complications: chronic conjunctivitis, implant exposure/extrusion, and cellulitis.

Go Wish card game-exploring end-of-life wishes of patients in oncology palliative care: a qualitative study.

Background: Among the methods that promote quality of life and care, discussing and remembering end-of-life (EOL) wishes for future care may contribute to decision-making about care and the promotion of a good death. Our aim was to investigate the most significant EOL desires among Brazilian cancer patients receiving palliative care (PC).

Methods: This was an exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative study conducted in a Palliative Care Oncology Unit.

Functional pri-miR-34b/c rs4938723 and KRAS 3'UTR rs61764370 SNPs: Novel phenotype modifiers in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome?

Purpose: Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is a rare cancer predisposing condition caused by germline pathogenic TP53 variants, in which core tumors comprise sarcomas, breast, brain and adrenocortical neoplasms. Clinical manifestations are highly variable in carriers of the Brazilian germline founder variant TP53 p.R337H, possibly due to the influence of modifier genes such as miRNA genes involved in the regulation of the p53 pathway.

MIR-376A-2-5P as a potential prognostic marker for advanced penile squamous cell carcinomas trough HPV-dependent pathways.

Penile cancer (PeCa) is a rare tumor, generally associated with socioeconomic conditions in low-income countries. Hence, a delay in diagnosis and treatment leads in more advanced tumors, to higher comorbidity, and mortality. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been identified as one of the major risk factors for PeCa.

Gene expression alterations predict the pathological complete response in triple-negative breast cancer exploratory analysis of the NACATRINE trial.

This exploratory analysis of the Neoadjuvant Carboplatin in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (NACATRINE) study aimed to identify the biomarkers of pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) within the context of a clinical trial. The NACATRINE trial is a phase II, single-center, randomized, open-label clinical trial that investigated the addition of carboplatin to sequential anthracycline- and taxane-based NAC for TNBC. We evaluated the gene expression in untreated samples to investigate its association with pCR, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS).

Triage Process at Endoscopy With ColonView Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) Will Enhance Diagnostic Accuracy (DA) of Colorectal Cancer Screening.

Background/aim: This study assessed the diagnostic accuracy (DA) of the predictive features of colorectal cancer (CRC, predictCRC), triage process (triage), and ColonView (CV) fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in a CRC screening setting. The diagnostic score models (DMs) including predictCRC with triage and CV test were also calculated.

Patients And Methods: The study cohort of 544 patients included 58 CRC patients and 486 non-CRC patients who submitted three consecutive fecal samples for analysis, by two fecal occult blood (FOB) assays (CV FIT test, HemoccultSENSA test).

Challenges in building radiotherapy capacity: A longitudinal study evaluating eight years of the Brazilian radiotherapy expansion plan.

Background: In 2012, the Brazilian government launched a radiotherapy (RT) expansion plan (PER-SUS) to install 100 linear accelerators. This study assesses the development of this program after eight years.

Methods: Official reports from the Ministry of Health (MoH) were reviewed.

Waterpipe and cigarette epigenome analysis reveals markers implicated in addiction and smoking type inference.

Waterpipe smoking is frequent in the Middle East and Africa with emerging prevalence worldwide. The epigenome acts as a molecular sensor to exposures and a crucial driver in several diseases. With the widespread use of waterpipe smoking, it is timely to investigate its epigenomic markers and their role in addiction, as a central player in disease prevention and therapeutic strategies.

Diaphragmatic hernia repair porcine model to compare the performance of biodegradable membranes against Gore-Tex.

Background: Patch repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) using Gore-Tex is associated with infection, adhesions, hernia recurrence, long-term musculoskeletal sequels and poor tissue regeneration. To overcome these limitations, the performance of two novel biodegradable membranes was tested to repair CDH in a growing pig model.

Methods: Twelve male pigs were randomly assigned to 3 different groups of 4 animals each, determined by the type of patch used during thoracoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair (Gore-Tex, polycaprolactone electrospun membrane-PCLem, and decellularized human chorion membrane-dHCM).

Hazard assessment of antineoplastic drugs and metabolites using cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays.

Antineoplastic drugs are among the most toxic pharmaceuticals. Their release into the aquatic ecosystems has been reported, giving rise to concerns about the adverse effects, including cytotoxicity and genotoxicity, that they may have on exposed organisms. In this study, we analyzed the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and its metabolite alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine (3-NH2-F); gemcitabine (GEM) and its metabolite 2'-deoxy-2',2'-difluorouridine (2-DOH-DiF); as well as cyclophosphamide (CP) on the HepG2 cell line.

Treatment of patients with multiple brain metastases by isolated radiosurgery: Toxicity and survival.

Background: Radiosurgery for multiple brain metastases has been more reported recently without using whole-brain radiotherapy. Nevertheless, the sparsity of the data still claims more information about toxicity and survival and their association with both dosimetric and geometric aspects of this treatment.

Aim: To assess the toxicity and survival outcome of radiosurgery in patients with multiple (four or more lesions) brain metastases.

Analysis of mitochondrial DNA copy number variation in Brazilian farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides.

The use of pesticide use has been linked to the higher production of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress, which in turn can cause genomic instability. A marker for instability is the copy number variation of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNAcn), which has been found to be altered in diverse human diseases, including tumors. This research aimed to examine the variation of mtDNAcn in individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides.

Diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol biodegradation: overconsumed non-steroidal anti-inflammatories drugs at COVID-19 pandemic.

The consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have increased significantly in the last years (2020-2022), especially for patients in COVID-19 treatment. NSAIDs such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol are often available without restrictions, being employed without medical supervision for basic symptoms of inflammatory processes. Furthermore, these compounds are increasingly present in nature constituting complex mixtures discarded at domestic and hospital sewage/wastewater.