Non-Syndromic and Syndromic Defects in Children with Extracranial Germ Cell Tumors: Data of 2610 Children Registered with the German MAKEI 96/MAHO 98 Registry Compared to the General Population.

GCTs are developmental tumors and are likely to reflect ontogenetic and teratogenetic determinants. The objective of this study was to identify syndromes with or without congenital anomalies and non-syndromic defects as potential risk factors. Patients with extracranial GCTs (eGCTs) registered in MAKEI 96/MAHO 98 between 1996 and 2017 were included.

Does the interfacing angle between pedicle screws and support rods affect clinical outcomes after posterior thoracolumbar fusion? A retrospective clinical study.

Background Context: Proper alignment and tightening of the pedicle screw/rod assembly after instrumented posterior fusion of the lower spine is known to be crucial in order to achieve satisfactory clinical results. Such interfacing angle mismatches indicate stress overloading of the implant system.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to investigate the incidence of postoperative screw/rod interfacing angle mismatch and to analyze the impact of mismatches on clinical outcome in terms of (1) revision surgery, (2) adjacent segment degeneration (ASD), and (3) pain.

Elderly and Patients with Large Breast Volume Have an Increased Risk of Seroma Formation after Mastectomy-Results of the SerMa Pilot Study.

The collective of the SerMa pilot study included 100 cases of primary breast cancer or Carcinoma in situ who had undergone a mastectomy procedure with or without reconstruction of the breast using an implant or expander at Augsburg University Hospital between 12/2019 and 12/2022. The study aimed to investigate possible causes of seroma formation; reported here are the clinicopathological correlations between seroma formation and tumor biology and surgical procedures. Seroma occurred significantly more often in patients with older age (median patient age in cases with seroma was 73 years vs.

Receptor autoantibodies: Associations with cardiac markers, histology, and function in human non-ischaemic heart failure.

Aims: A causal link between non-ischaemic heart failure (HF) and humoral autoimmunity against G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) remains unclear except for Chagas' cardiomyopathy. Uncertainty arises from ambiguous reports on incidences of GPCR autoantibodies, spurious correlations of autoantibody levels with disease activity, and lack of standardization and validation of measuring procedures for putatively cardio-pathogenic GPCR autoantibodies. Here, we use validated and certified immune assays presenting native receptors as binding targets.

Audiological outcome after stapes surgery in relation to prosthesis type.

Purpose: Different techniques are used to fix crimp and CliP® Piston stapes prostheses to the long process of the incus (LPI). The CliP® Piston provides a stiff connection in contrast to the static bended loop of the crimp prosthesis, which imitates the physiological incudostapedial joint (ISJ) and thereby potentially leads to different hearing outcome.

Methods: In a retrospective single-center study of German-speaking one hundred and ninety patients who underwent stapes surgery CliP® Piston or crimp prostheses between the years of 2016 and 2019 by the same surgeon and in the same setting.

Evaluation of different diagnostic tools for detection of acquired von Willebrand syndrome in patients with polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia.

Introduction: Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are at increased risk of both thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications. Among the risk factors for bleeding is the development of an acquired qualitative von Willebrand factor defect with loss of larger VWF plasma multimers, resulting in acquired von Willebrand syndrome (aVWS). The diagnosis of aVWS is challenging, because no single automated test is sufficient to prove or exclude aVWS.

Differences in the Outcome of Colonic Atresia with and without Abdominal Wall Defects.

Introduction:  Colonic atresia (CA) is a very rare disease. Two entities of CA can be differentiated: primary CA and CA with abdominal wall defects (AWD). This study aimed to investigate the differences between these two entities, especially for long-term outcomes.

Hematopoietic stem cell boost for persistent neutropenia after CAR T-cell therapy: a GLA/DRST study.

Hematotoxicity after chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is associated with infection and death but management remains unclear. We report results of 31 patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell boost (HSCB; 30 autologous, 1 allogeneic) for either sustained severe neutropenia of grade 4 (<0.5 × 109/L), sustained moderate neutropenia (≤1.

Treosulfan compared with reduced-intensity busulfan improves allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation outcomes of older acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patients: Final analysis of a prospective randomized trial.

The phase III study was designed to compare event-free survival (EFS) after treosulfan-based conditioning with a widely applied reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) busulfan regimen in older or comorbid patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). A previously reported confirmatory interim analysis of the randomized clinical study including 476 patients demonstrated statistically significant noninferiority for treosulfan with clinically meaningful improvement in EFS. Here, the final study results and pre-specified subgroup analyses of all 570 randomized patients with completed longer-term follow-up are presented.

Cetuximab, gemcitabine and radiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer: Long-term results of the randomized controlled phase II PARC trial.

Purpose: Addressing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-pathway by the competitive receptor ligand cetuximab is a promising strategy in pancreatic cancer. In the prospective randomized controlled phase II PARC-study (PARC: Pancreatic cancer treatment with radiotherapy (RT) and cetuximab), we evaluated safety and efficacy of a trimodal treatment scheme consisting of cetuximab, gemcitabine and RT in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).

Methods: Between January 2005 and April 2007, 68 patients with inoperable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were randomized in either trimodal therapy followed by gemcitabine maintenance (Arm A) or in trimodal therapy followed by gemcitabine plus cetuximab maintenance (Arm B).

Non-Random Pattern of Integration for Epstein-Barr Virus with Preference for Gene-Poor Genomic Chromosomal Regions into the Genome of Burkitt Lymphoma Cell Lines.

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic virus found in about 95% of endemic Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cases. In latently infected cells, EBV DNA is mostly maintained in episomal form, but it can also be integrated into the host genome, or both forms can coexist in the infected cells.

Methods: In this study, we mapped the chromosomal integration sites of EBV (EBV-IS) into the genome of 21 EBV+ BL cell lines (BL-CL) using metaphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Comparison of perioperative outcomes between laparoscopic and open partial splenectomy in children and adolescents.

Background: In order to avoid consequences of total splenectomy, partial splenectomy (PS) is increasingly reported. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic PS (LPS) and open PS (OPS) in children and adolescents.

Aim: To compare perioperative outcomes of patients with LPS and OPS.

Adjuvant Imatinib in Patients with GIST Harboring Exon 9 KIT Mutations: Results from a Multi-institutional European Retrospective Study.

Purpose: The effect of high-dose imatinib (800 mg/day) on survival in the adjuvant treatment of patients with resected KIT exon 9-mutated gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) is not established. Here, the association of dose and other clinicopathologic variables with survival was evaluated in a large multi-institutional European cohort.

Experimental Design: Data from 185 patients were retrospectively collected in 23 European GIST reference centers.

Real-world experience of CPX-351 as first-line treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

To investigate the efficacy and toxicities of CPX-351 outside a clinical trial, we analyzed 188 patients (median age 65 years, range 26-80) treated for therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML, 29%) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC, 70%). Eighty-six percent received one, 14% two induction cycles, and 10% received consolidation (representing 22% of patients with CR/CRi) with CPX-351. Following induction, CR/CRi rate was 47% including 64% of patients with available information achieving measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity (<10) as measured by flow cytometry.

Clinical and Biological Characteristics of Medullary and Extramedullary Plasma Cell Dyscrasias.

Extramedullary plasma cell (PC) disorders may occur as extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma (MM-EMD) or as primary extramedullary plasmocytoma (pEMP)/solitary osseous plasmocytoma (SOP). In this study, we aimed to obtain insights into the molecular mechanisms of extramedullary spread of clonal PC. Clinical and biological characteristics of 87 patients with MM-EMD ( = 49), pEMP/SOP ( = 20) and classical MM ( = 18) were analyzed by using immunohistochemistry (CXCR4, CD31, CD44 and CD81 staining) and cytoplasmic immunoglobulin staining combined with fluorescence hybridization (cIg-FISH).

Prognostic effect of low-level HER2 expression in patients with clinically negative HER2 status.

Purpose: Assessment of HER2 overexpression using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or in situ hybridisation (ISH) for the detection of HER2 amplifications is standard to identify patients for established HER2-directed treatments. Patients with lower HER2 expression levels have recently also become candidates for novel therapies targeting HER2. This study aimed to assess tumour and patient characteristics and prognosis in patients with advanced breast cancer (aBC), relative to low HER2 expression levels.

Benefit of pazopanib in advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours: results from a phase II trial (SSG XXI, PAGIST).

Background: Patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) resistant to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors imatinib and sunitinib may be treated with regorafenib, which resulted in a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 4.8 months in the GRID trial. Also, pazopanib, another tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been studied in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (PAZOGIST) in the third line, which showed a PFS of 45.

Utility of the CPS + EG scoring system in triple-negative breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Background: Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is associated with superior survival. This association is strongest in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The CPS + EG system, based on pre-treatment clinical (CS) and post-treatment pathological stage (PS), oestrogen-receptor status (E) and grade (G), leads to a refined estimate of prognosis after NACT in all-comers and hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer.

Jejunoileal Atresia: A National Cohort Study.

Jejunoileal atresia (JIA) is a rare disease. We aimed to determine the overall incidence of this malformation and associated malformations in a national cohort. Furthermore, we compared the treatment results of this cohort with the current literature.

Germline BRCA1/2 mutations and severe haematological toxicities in patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Background: BRCA1 and BRCA2 play a central role in DNA repair. Therefore, patients harbouring germline (g) BRCA1/2 mutations (m) treated with chemotherapy might be at higher risk of haematological toxicities.

Methods: Patients from German Breast Group (GBG) and Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie-breast group studies with early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and known gBRCA1/2m status treated with anthracycline-taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were analysed.