Longitudinal Study of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinations and Infections in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer: Stabilizing Immune Responses and Neutralizing Emerging Variants with Variant-Adapted Antigen Exposures.

This longitudinal study examined how active gastrointestinal (GI) cancer types affect immune responses to SARS-CoV-2, focusing on the ability to neutralize the Omicron variants. Patients with GI cancer ( = 168) were categorized into those with hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic metastatic GI cancer, non-hepatic metastatic GI cancer, and two control groups of patients with and without underlying liver diseases. Humoral and cellular immune responses were evaluated before and after Omicron antigen exposures.

Respiratory syncytial virus infection in patients with haematological diseases: a retrospective multicentre study.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in patients with haematological diseases. It seeks to analyse the relevance of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of RSV infections.

Methods: A multi-centre, retrospective study was conducted across University Hospitals in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, and the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf between Jan 2016 and Aug 2023.

Macrophages are activated toward phagocytic lymphoma cell clearance by pentose phosphate pathway inhibition.

Macrophages in the B cell lymphoma microenvironment represent a functional node in progression and therapeutic response. We assessed metabolic regulation of macrophages in the context of therapeutic antibody-mediated phagocytosis. Pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) inhibition induces increased phagocytic lymphoma cell clearance by macrophages in vitro, in primary human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patient co-cultures, and in mouse models.

Decisional conflict and knowledge in women with BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants: An exploratory age group analysis of a randomised controlled decision aid trial.

Female BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant (PV) carriers face substantial risks for breast and ovarian cancer. Evidence-based decision aids (DAs) can facilitate these women in their decision-making process on an individually suitable preventive strategy. However, there is a gap in previous literature exploring whether DA effectiveness varies according to women's age.

Cabozantinib Plus Nivolumab in Adult Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective, Non-Interventional Study in a Real-World Cohort/GUARDIANS Project.

Introduction: Combinations of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the standard of care (SOC) for treatment-naive metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. In this multicenter study, we evaluated the RW safety and efficacy of cabozantinib plus nivolumab in mRCC patients.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from twelve cancer centers in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in metastatic urothelial carcinoma: a German retrospective real-world analysis.

This study assessed real-world treatment in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) in Germany. Patients diagnosed with mUC from 2015 to 2019 were identified in two claims databases: AOK PLUS and GWQ. 3226 patients with mUC were analyzed; 1286 (39.

Which Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) instruments are currently used in Germany: a survey.

Background: The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) records geriatric syndromes in a standardized manner, allowing individualized treatment tailored to the patient's needs and resources. Its use has shown a beneficial effect on the functional outcome and survival of geriatric patients. A recently published German S1 guideline for level 2 CGA provides recommendations for the use of a broad variety of different assessment instruments for each geriatric syndrome.

Predictors of knowledge and knowledge gain after decision aid use among women with BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants.

Objective: To identify factors contributing to baseline knowledge in women with BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants (PVs) and knowledge gain after decision aid (DA) use.

Methods: Women with PVs in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG) receiving DAs or a control group (CG). Of the total sample, 417 completed the baseline survey and were included in this analysis.

Management of acute breakthrough hemolysis with intensive pegcetacoplan dosing in patients with PNH.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterized by complement-mediated intravascular hemolysis leading to anemia, fatigue, and potentially life-threatening thrombotic complications. Breakthrough hemolysis (BTH) was first described in patients with PNH treated with terminal complement C5 inhibitors when intravascular hemolysis reoccurred despite treatment. Pegcetacoplan, the first proximal complement C3 inhibitor, offers broad hemolysis control in patients with PNH.

Early combination therapy of COVID-19 in high-risk patients.

Purpose: Prolonged shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been observed in immunocompromised hosts. Early monotherapy with direct-acting antivirals or monoclonal antibodies, as recommended by the international guidelines, does not prevent this with certainty. Dual therapies may therefore have a synergistic effect.

Outpatient care concept and potential inpatient cost savings associated with the administration of dalbavancin - A real-world data and retrospective cost analysis.

Background: The treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) usually involves intravenous (i.v.) antibiotics requiring hospitalisation and increasing hospital costs.

Health economic analysis of patients treated with isavuconazole in a German comprehensive cancer centre.

Background: Invasive fungal diseases (IFD) are life-threatening and demand timely and appropriate treatment. Research showed that isavuconazole treatment positively affects clinical outcome and length of hospital stay (LOS).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the hospital costs of patients diagnosed with IFD and treated with isavuconazole using real-world data from a German cancer centre.

Falls at advanced age - The importance to search for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Introduction: One of the most important geriatric syndromes is dizziness in conjunction with gait disorder and consequent falls. There are various differential diagnoses for dizziness, one of them is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Objectives: A targeted diagnostic work-up and treatment of BPPV can prevent subsequent falls and a decline in the patients' quality of life, prolonged hospitalization with unnecessary examinations and medication.

Evaluation of two evidence-based decision aids for female BRCA1/2 mutation carriers in Germany: study protocol for a randomised controlled parallel-group trial.

Background: Women with BRCA1/2 mutations have a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer compared to women of the general population. Various preventive options are available to deal with the increased risk of developing cancer. These include intensified breast cancer screening and risk-reducing bilateral mastectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy.

Development of decision aids for female BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers in Germany to support preference-sensitive decision-making.

Background: Women with pathogenic BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations possess a high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. They face difficult choices when considering preventive options. This study presents the development process of the first decision aids to support this complex decision-making process in the German healthcare system.

GATA binding protein 6 (GATA6) is co-amplified with PIK3CA in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma and is linked to neoadjuvant therapy.

Purpose: Driver mutations are typically absent in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Mostly, oncogenes are amplified as driving molecular events (including GATA6-amplification in 14% of cases). However, only little is known about its biological function and clinical relevance.

Mitochondrial respiration controls neoangiogenesis during wound healing and tumour growth.

The vasculature represents a highly plastic compartment, capable of switching from a quiescent to an active proliferative state during angiogenesis. Metabolic reprogramming in endothelial cells (ECs) thereby is crucial to cover the increasing cellular energy demand under growth conditions. Here we assess the impact of mitochondrial bioenergetics on neovascularisation, by deleting cox10 gene encoding an assembly factor of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) specifically in mouse ECs, providing a model for vasculature-restricted respiratory deficiency.

The expression of the immune checkpoint regulator VISTA correlates with improved overall survival in pT1/2 tumor stages in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Immune checkpoint modulation in cancer has been demonstrated as a high-value therapeutic strategy in many tumor entities. VISTA is an immune checkpoint receptor regulating T-cell function. To the best of our knowledge, nothing is known about the expression and prognostic impact of VISTA on tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the tumor microenvironment of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).

Substantial evidence for the clinical significance of missense variant BRCA1 c.5309G>T p.(Gly1770Val).

Purpose: Classification of rare BRCA1 missense variants presents a major challenge for the counseling and treatment of patients. Variant classification can be complicated by conflicting lines of evidence. BRCA1 c.

Preoperative breast MRI-examination for all patients with histologically proven breast cancer? A concept for a prospective multicenter trial.

Background A published retrospective data of our study group demonstrated that premenopausal women, patients with lobular invasive breast cancer or patients with high breast density [American College of Radiology (ACR) classification 3+4] significantly benefit from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) leading to additional detection of malignant foci of 20.2% in the index and 2.5% in the contralateral breast, which would otherwise not be detected by routine imaging.