Necrotizing fasciitis associated with malignancy.

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare soft-tissue condition with a high mortality rate even with treatment. Diagnosis is challenging due to an absence of specific symptoms at the early stages of clinical presentation. NF is typically associated with traumatic injuries, superficial skin breakdown, and surgical procedures.

Thyroid Cancer Treatment Choice: A Pilot Study of a Tool to Facilitate Conversations with Patients with Papillary Microcarcinomas Considering Treatment Options.

Background: The 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines recognize active surveillance as an alternative to immediate surgery in patients with papillary microcarcinomas (PMCs). As a way to incorporate active surveillance as one of the management options for patients with PMCs, we developed and tested a tool to support conversations between clinicians and patients with PMCs considering treatment options.

Methods: Thyroid Cancer Treatment Choice was developed using an iterative process based on the principles of interaction, design, and participatory action research.

Taselisib (GDC-0032), a Potent β-Sparing Small Molecule Inhibitor of PI3K, Radiosensitizes Head and Neck Squamous Carcinomas Containing Activating PIK3CA Alterations.

Purpose: ActivatingPIK3CAgenomic alterations are frequent in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and there is an association between phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling and radioresistance. Hence, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of inhibiting PI3K with GDC-0032, a PI3K inhibitor with potent activity against p110α, in combination with radiation in HNSCC.

Experimental Design: The efficacy of GDC-0032 was assessedin vitroin 26 HNSCC cell lines with crystal violet proliferation assays, and changes in PI3K signaling were measured by Western blot analysis.

CCR 20th Anniversary Commentary: Immune-Related Response Criteria--Capturing Clinical Activity in Immuno-Oncology.

To evaluate antitumor responses to chemotherapeutic agents, investigators would typically rely upon Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) or modified WHO criteria, which do not comprehensively capture responses with immunotherapeutic agents. In the December 1, 2009, issue of Clinical Cancer Research, Wolchok and colleagues reported their development of novel criteria, designated "Immune-related Response Criteria" (irRC), designed to better capture the response patterns observed with immunotherapies. Broad use of the irRC since then has allowed for a more comprehensive evaluation of immunotherapies in clinical trials, indicating that their concepts can be used in conjunction with either RECIST or WHO, and has shown irRC to be a powerful tool for improved clinical investigation.