Impact of Genomic Classifiers on Risk Stratification and Treatment Intensity in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer : A Systematic Review.

Background: Tissue-based genomic classifiers (GCs) have been developed to improve prostate cancer (PCa) risk assessment and treatment recommendations.

Purpose: To summarize the impact of the Decipher, Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score (GPS), and Prolaris GCs on risk stratification and patient-clinician decisions on treatment choice among patients with localized PCa considering first-line treatment.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science published from January 2010 to August 2024.

Prevalence of Microsatellite Instability in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer patients from a Latin American Country.

Background: In Colombia, gastric cancer is fifth in incidence (12.8 cases per 100,000) and third in mortality (9.9 cases per 100,000).

Hemorrhagic astroblastoma: atypical presentation of a rare tumor. Illustrative case.

Background: Astroblastoma is an extremely rare tumor of the central nervous system, and its origin and validity as a different entity are still being debated. Because of its rarity and similarities to other glial neoplasms, it is often misdiagnosed, impacting treatment and outcomes.

Observations: Astroblastoma is very rare and mainly affects children and young adults.

Investigation of the effect of thyroid collar, radiation safety glasses and lead apron on radiation dose in cone beam computed tomography.

Objectives: Due to the increasing use of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dentistry and considering the effects of radiation on radiosensitive organs, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of shielding on absorbed dose of eyes, thyroid and breasts in scans conducted with different parameters using two different fields of view (FOV).

Methods: Dose measurements were calculated on a tissue-equivalent female phantom by repeating each scanning parameter three times and placing at least two thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) on each organ, with the averages then taken. The same CBCT scans were performed in two different FOV with shielding including thyroid collar, radiation safety glasses and lead apron and without shielding.

Radiotherapy and surgery: can this combination be further optimized for patients with metastatic spine disease?

This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the current status, recent advancements, and future directions in the management of metastatic spine disease using both radiotherapy and surgery. Emphasis has been put on the integrated use of radiotherapy and surgery, incorporating recent developments such as separation surgery, active dose sparing of the surgical field, and the implementation of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer implants. Future studies should explore the effects of minimizing the time between radiotherapy and surgery and investigate the potential of vertebral re-ossification after radiotherapy to obviate the need for stabilization surgery.

Synephrine Inhibits Oxidative Stress and HO-Induced Premature Senescence.

Synephrine, a protoalkaloid found in Citrus aurantium (CA) peels, exerts lipolytic, anti-inflammatory, and vasoconstrictive effects; however, its antioxidant activity remains unclear. In this study, electron spin resonance spectroscopy revealed that synephrine scavenged both hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals. Several external stimuli, such as HO, X-rays, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, cause stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS).

Perfusion estimation from dynamic non-contrast computed tomography using self-supervised learning and a physics-inspired U-net transformer architecture.

Purpose: Pulmonary perfusion imaging is a key lung health indicator with clinical utility as a diagnostic and treatment planning tool. However, current nuclear medicine modalities face challenges like low spatial resolution and long acquisition times which limit clinical utility to non-emergency settings and often placing extra financial burden on the patient. This study introduces a novel deep learning approach to predict perfusion imaging from non-contrast inhale and exhale computed tomography scans (IE-CT).

Extracellular vesicle-mediated VEGF-A mRNA delivery rescues ischaemic injury with low immunogenicity.

Background And Aims: Lackluster results from recently completed gene therapy clinical trials of VEGF-A delivered by viral vectors have heightened the need to develop alternative delivery strategies. This study aims to demonstrate the pre-clinical efficacy and safety of extracellular vesicles (EVs) loaded with VEGF-A mRNA for the treatment of ischaemic vascular disease.

Methods: After encapsulation of full-length VEGF-A mRNA into fibroblast-derived EVs via cellular nanoporation (CNP), collected VEGF-A EVs were delivered into mouse models of ischaemic injury.

The Association Between Neutrophil-Percentage-to-Albumin Ratio (NPAR) and Mortality Among Individuals With Cancer: Insights From National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Neutrophils interact with tumor cells, potentially exacerbating cancer progression. Additionally, decreased albumin levels are a marker of poor cancer prognosis. The neutrophil-percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) has been used for prognostic assessment in non-cancerous diseases, but its relationship with mortality risk in cancer patients has not been explored.

Automatic segmentation of MRI images for brain radiotherapy planning using deep ensemble learning.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate an efficient method to automatically segment T1- and T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. We specifically compared the segmentation performance of individual convolutional neural network (CNN) models against an ensemble approach to advance the accuracy of MRI-guided radiotherapy (RT) planning..

Composite spin probes with adjustable oxygen sensitivity for pulse electron paramagnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: Solid crystalline spin probes, such as lithium phthalocyanine (LiPc) and lithium octa-n-butoxynaphthalocyanine (LiNc-BuO), allow repeated oxygen measurement using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Due to their short relaxation times, their use for pulse EPR oxygen imaging is limited. In this study, we developed and tested a new class of solid composite spin probes that modified the relaxation rates R and R of LiPc or LiNc-BuO probes, which allowed pO measurements in the full dynamic (0-760 torr) range.

Use of a novel claw-suture technique for localization of solitary pulmonary nodules: retrospective study and experience from one center.

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is more effective for diagnosing and treating solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs). It is sometimes difficult to localize through use of minimally invasive techniques. We evaluated the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of a novel localization method for SPNs.

Elevated expression drives esophageal squamous cell carcinoma stemness and induces resistance to radiotherapy.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) stands as the sixth most common cause of cancer-related mortality on a global scale, with a strikingly high proportion-over half-of these fatalities occurring within China. The emergence of radiation resistance in ESCC patients significantly diminishes overall survival rates, complicating treatment regimens and reducing clinical outcomes. There is an urgent need to explore the molecular mechanisms that underpin radiation resistance in ESCC, which could lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets aimed at overcoming this resistance.

Predictive and prognostic value of ACSL4 and GPX4 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving post-operative radiotherapy.

Background: Although multimodality treatment, including chemoradiotherapy and surgery has significantly improved the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), a valid predictor is crucial for individualized treatment. As acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) are key genes with radiation responses and constituents of the ferroptosis signaling pathway, the present study adopted ACSL4 and GPX4 protein expression to explore their predictive and prognostic value in patients with ESCC receiving adjuvant radiotherapy.

Methods: A total of 108 patients with thoracic ESCC who had undergone radical surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy were enrolled in the present retrospectively study.

Access improvement in healthcare: a 12-step framework for operational practice.

Background: Access improvement is a fundamental component of value-based healthcare as it inherently promotes quality by eliminating chokepoints, redundancies, and inefficiencies which could hinder the provisioning of timely care. The purpose of this review is to present a 12-step framework which offers healthcare organizations a practical, thematic-based foundation for thinking about access improvement.

Methods: This study was designed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement.

High Intelectin-1 Expression Associated with Aggressive Tumor Behavior and Worse Survival in Rectal Cancer.

Background: Multimodal treatment involving preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery is the current standard of care for rectal cancer. Despite advancements, the risk of recurrence, metastasis, and decreased survival remains high. This study aims to evaluate potential biomarkers to stratify prognosis in patients with rectal cancer undergoing preoperative CRT and surgery.

Efficacy and safety of consolidative thoracic radiotherapy after first-line chemoimmunotherapy in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) has shown potential benefits in improving local control and overall survival (OS) in chemotherapy-responsive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cases. However, its role in the era of chemoimmunotherapy remains underexplored. In the current era of immunotherapy, this study evaluated the efficacy and safety of consolidative TRT (cTRT) in patients with extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC) and assessed its impact on OS.

Quantitative evaluation of accumulated and planned dose deviations in patients undergoing gated and non-gated lung stereotactic body radiation therapy patients: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is crucial for treating early-stage inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) due to its precision and high-dose delivery. This study aimed to investigate the dosimetric deviations in gated (GR) versus non-gated radiotherapy (NGR), analyzing the impact of tumor location, target volume, and tumor motion range on dose distribution accuracy.

Methods: Sixty patients treated with either gated (n=30) or non-gated (n=30) SBRT for early-stage NSCLC were retrospectively analyzed.

Long-term survival after combination therapy with atezolizumab in a patient with small-cell lung cancer: a case report.

Background: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly malignant. Despite being highly sensitive to initial chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the recurrence rate is high. Atezolizumab is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) that has been proven to provide an overall survival (OS) benefit for extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC), making ICIs in combination with chemotherapy the standard first-line treatment for ES-SCLC.

The current landscape and prospects of antibody-drug conjugates for lung cancer brain metastases: a narrative review.

Background And Objective: As the most common cancer to progress to brain metastases (BMs), lung cancer presents with intracranial involvement in approximately 20% of patients at the time of diagnosis and lung cancer BMs constitute approximately half of all BMs. The current clinical strategy for managing lung cancer BMs involves a combination of systemic anticancer therapies with local radiation or surgical interventions. The efficacy of systemic treatments is often constrained by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the poor inhibition effect of the drug itself.

Abdominal synthetic CT generation for MR-only radiotherapy using structure-conserving loss and transformer-based cycle-GAN.

Purpose: Recent deep-learning based synthetic computed tomography (sCT) generation using magnetic resonance (MR) images have shown promising results. However, generating sCT for the abdominal region poses challenges due to the patient motion, including respiration and peristalsis. To address these challenges, this study investigated an unsupervised learning approach using a transformer-based cycle-GAN with structure-preserving loss for abdominal cancer patients.

Therapeutic dose prediction using score-based diffusion model for pretreatment patient-specific quality assurance.

Objectives: Implementing pre-treatment patient-specific quality assurance (prePSQA) for cancer patients is a necessary but time-consuming task, imposing a significant workload on medical physicists. Currently, the prediction methods used for prePSQA fall under the category of supervised learning, limiting their generalization ability and resulting in poor performance on new data. In the context of this work, the limitation of traditional supervised models was broken by proposing a conditional generation method utilizing unsupervised diffusion model.

NIRADS-based case assessment of post-treatment head and neck cancer and its clinical correlation: A validation study.

Introduction: The neck imaging reporting and data system (NIRADS) lexicon is aimed at surveillance of head and neck cancer during post-treatment follow-up using either a CECT or PET-CT scan. These recommendations standardize management, reduce interobserver variability, and standardizes scientific communication.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to validate the correlation between the NI-RADS category and disease status on clinical follow-up and histopathological analysis.

Infrahyoid myocutaneous flap for reconstruction in head and neck cancer patients.

Background: Reconstruction of head and neck defects following tumor excision is one of the most challenging surgeries due to multiple reasons, such as associated cosmetic and functional impairments. The three-dimensional aspect of the defect makes it more difficult. Although in modern settings, microvascular surgery is preferred in many conditions, it requires the presence of resources and expertise.

Conventional chemoradiation versus accelerated chemoradiation: A prospective study in oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: Squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck is predominantly a loco regional disease, and the primary treatment methods are surgery and radiotherapy. For patients with locally-regionally advanced oropharyngeal cancer, concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment.

Material And Method: The aim and objectives of study were a) to compare locoregional response in two arms, b) to compare acute and chronic treatment-related toxicities in the two arms, and c) to compare the quality of life.