Interventions aiming to improve advance care planning uptake in oncology: a scoping review of recent randomized controlled trials.

Purpose Of Review: The evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions aiming to improve ACP uptake appears mixed. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize findings from recent RCTs assessing the efficacy of interventions designed to increase ACP uptake in cancer care.

Recent Findings: The PubMed database was searched for studies published between 2021 and 2023.

Marine-Derived Leads as Anticancer Candidates by Disrupting Hypoxic Signaling through Hypoxia-Inducible Factors Inhibition.

The inadequate vascularization seen in fast-growing solid tumors gives rise to hypoxic areas, fostering specific changes in gene expression that bolster tumor cell survival and metastasis, ultimately leading to unfavorable clinical prognoses across different cancer types. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1 and HIF-2) emerge as druggable pivotal players orchestrating tumor metastasis and angiogenesis, thus positioning them as prime targets for cancer treatment. A range of HIF inhibitors, notably natural compounds originating from marine organisms, exhibit encouraging anticancer properties, underscoring their significance as promising therapeutic options.

Evaluation of an Updated Gene Panel as a Diagnostic Tool for Both Male and Female Infertility.

In recent years, an increasing number of genes associated with male and female infertility have been identified. The genetics of infertility is no longer limited to the analysis of karyotypes or specific genes, and it is now possible to analyse several dozen infertility genes simultaneously. Here, we present the diagnostic activity over the past two years including 140 patients (63 women and 77 men).

Long-term follow-up of a series of 24 congenital CMV-infected babies with false negative amniocentesis.

Background: Congenital CMV infection is the most common congenital infection worldwide and a major cause of neurological impairment and sensorineural hearing loss. Fetal CMV infection is confirmed by a positive PCR test in the amniotic fluid (amniocentesis performed after 18-20 weeks of gestation and at least 8 weeks after maternal infection). However, despite a negative antenatal CMV PCR result, some newborns can be tested positive at birth.

Tumor Intrinsic Subtypes and Gene Expression Signatures in Early-Stage ERBB2/HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of CALGB 40601, NeoALTTO, and NSABP B-41 Trials.

Importance: Biologic features may affect pathologic complete response (pCR) and event-free survival (EFS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus ERBB2/HER2 blockade in ERBB2/HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC).

Objective: To define the quantitative association between pCR and EFS by intrinsic subtype and by other gene expression signatures in a pooled analysis of 3 phase 3 trials: CALGB 40601, NeoALTTO, and NSABP B-41.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this retrospective pooled analysis, 1289 patients with EBC received chemotherapy plus either trastuzumab, lapatinib, or the combination, with a combined median follow-up of 5.

BRCA1/2 alterations and reversion mutations in the area of PARP inhibitors in high grade ovarian cancer: state of the art and forthcoming challenges.

genes are part of homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair pathways in charge of error-free double-strand break (DSB) repair. Loss-of-function mutations of genes have been associated for a long time with breast and ovarian cancer hereditary syndrome. Recently, polyadenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have revolutionized the therapeutic landscape of -mutated tumors, especially of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC), taking advantage of HR deficiency through the synthetic lethality concept.

Fertility and sexual activity in patients with Triple A syndrome.

Objective: Triple A syndrome, caused by autosomal recessively inherited mutations in the gene is characterized by alacrima, achalasia, adrenal insufficiency, and neurological impairment. To the best of our knowledge, no patients of both sexes have been reported to have offspring. Our aim was to assess the causes of infertility in male patients with this multisystemic syndrome, and to present a female patient that spontaneously conceived a child.

Sleepiness and the transition from wakefulness to sleep.

The transition from wakefulness to sleep is a progressive process that is reflected in the gradual loss of responsiveness, an alteration of cognitive functions, and a drastic shift in brain dynamics. These changes do not occur all at once. The sleep onset period (SOP) refers here to this period of transition between wakefulness and sleep.

Assessment of bias in scoring of AI-based radiotherapy segmentation and planning studies using modified TRIPOD and PROBAST guidelines as an example.

Background And Purpose: Studies investigating the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of radiotherapy exhibit substantial variations in terms of quality. The goal of this study was to assess the amount of transparency and bias in scoring articles with a specific focus on AI based segmentation and treatment planning, using modified PROBAST and TRIPOD checklists, in order to provide recommendations for future guideline developers and reviewers.

Materials And Methods: The TRIPOD and PROBAST checklist items were discussed and modified using a Delphi process.

Translation of the nine item avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder screen (NIAS) questionnaire in French (NIAS-Fr).

Background: The Nine Item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Screen (NIAS) questionnaire is originally available in English. Given the significant overlap of ARFID-like symptoms in gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, ARFID screening becomes crucial in these patient populations. Consequently, the translation of the NIAS questionnaire into French is necessary for its utilization in French-speaking countries.

The regulatory mechanisms of oncomiRs in cancer.

Cancer development is a complex process that primarily results from the combination of genetic alterations and the dysregulation of major signalling pathways due to interference with the epigenetic machinery. As major epigenetic regulators, miRNAs are central players in the control of many key tumour development factors. These miRNAs have been classified as oncogenic miRNAs (oncomiRs) when they target tumour suppressor genes and tumour suppressor miRNAs (TS miRNAs) when they inhibit oncogene protein expression.

Image-based multiplex immune profiling of cancer tissues: translational implications. A report of the International Immuno-oncology Biomarker Working Group on Breast Cancer.

Recent advances in the field of immuno-oncology have brought transformative changes in the management of cancer patients. The immune profile of tumours has been found to have key value in predicting disease prognosis and treatment response in various cancers. Multiplex immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence have emerged as potent tools for the simultaneous detection of multiple protein biomarkers in a single tissue section, thereby expanding opportunities for molecular and immune profiling while preserving tissue samples.

A Comprehensive Review of the Potential Role of Liquid Biopsy as a Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Predictive Biomarker in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most lethal malignant diseases, with a mortality rate being close to incidence. Due to its heterogeneity and plasticity, as well as the lack of distinct symptoms in the early phases, it is very often diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in poor prognosis. Traditional tissue biopsies remain the gold standard for making a diagnosis, but have an obvious disadvantage in their inapplicability for frequent sampling.

Molecular imaging predicts lack of T-DM1 response in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer (final results of ZEPHIR trial).

Efficacy of the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2-targeting trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in breast cancer (BC) relies on HER2 status determined by immunohistochemistry or fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Heterogeneity in HER2 expression, however, generates interest in "whole-body" assessment of HER2 status using molecular imaging. We evaluated the role of HER2-targeted molecular imaging in detecting HER2-positive BC lesions and patients unlikely to respond to T-DM1.

Pathogenic missense variation in PABPC1L/EPAB causes female infertility due to oocyte maturation arrest at the germinal vesicle stage.

Women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation prior to in vitro fertilization (IVF) are treated using various protocols to induce multiple follicular growths. Complete failure of all oocytes to mature during IVF cycles is rare; however, it is a known cause of primary female infertility. Recently, pathogenic variations in a few genes have been identified in women with oocyte maturation defects; however, the underlying genetic causes remain largely unknown.

Towards the automated detection of interictal epileptiform discharges with magnetoencephalography.

Background: The analysis of clinical magnetoencephalography (MEG) in patients with epilepsy traditionally relies on visual identification of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs), which is time consuming and dependent on subjective criteria.

New Method: Here, we explore the ability of Independent Components Analysis (ICA) and Hidden Markov Modeling (HMM) to automatically detect and localize IEDs. We tested our pipelines on resting-state MEG recordings from 10 school-aged children with (multi)focal epilepsy.

Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training Using the 3/7 Resistance Training Method on Metabolic Stress in People with Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Cross-Over Study.

The 3/7 resistance training (RT) method involves performing sets with increasing numbers of repetitions, and shorter rest periods than the 3x9 method. Therefore, it could induce more metabolic stress in people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or coronary artery disease (CAD). This randomized cross-over study tested this hypothesis.

Pilot study of an endoluminal-suturing device as a treatment for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Endoscopic therapy is a promising option for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this study was to assess safety and feasibility of the Endomina suturing platform as a treatment for GERD. This was a two-center study of patients with chronic GERD symptoms that responded at least partially to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

How the Spreading and Intensity of Interictal Epileptic Activity Are Associated with Visuo-Spatial Skills in Children with Self-Limited Focal Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes.

This paper investigates brain-behaviour associations between interictal epileptic discharges and cognitive performance in a population of children with self-limited focal epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (SeLECTS). Sixteen patients with SeLECTS underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment, including verbal short-term and episodic memory, non-verbal short-term memory, attentional abilities and executive function. Two quantitative EEG indices were analysed, i.

Altered reinforcement learning in Narcolepsy type I and other central disorders of hypersomnolence.

Cognitive impairments are described in central disorders of hypersomnolence (CDH), but studies remain very limited and largely focused on narcolepsy type 1 (NT1). The precise nature and origin of these cognitive impairments is poorly understood. Specifically, impaired decision making under ambiguity has been reported in NT1 and suggested to be caused by dysregulation of the direct projections of hypocretin neurons to the dopamine network.