Randomized Phase II Trial of Dendritic Cell/Myeloma Fusion Vaccine with Lenalidomide Maintenance after Upfront Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma: BMT CTN 1401.

Purpose: Vaccination with dendritic cell (DC)/multiple myeloma (MM) fusions has been shown to induce the expansion of circulating multiple myeloma-reactive lymphocytes and consolidation of clinical response following autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (auto-HCT).

Patients And Methods: In this randomized phase II trial (NCT02728102), we assessed the effect of DC/MM fusion vaccination, GM-CSF, and lenalidomide maintenance as compared with control arms of GM-CSF and lenalidomide or lenalidomide maintenance alone on clinical response rates and induction of multiple myeloma-specific immunity at 1-year posttransplant.

Results: The study enrolled 203 patients, with 140 randomized posttransplantation.

The Evolving Approach to Breast Cancer: Moving toward De-Escalating Treatment and Personalized Medicine.

In recent years, more attention has been directed to personalized medicine in the management and treatment of breast cancer (BC) [...

Challenges in conducting fractional polynomial and standard parametric network meta-analyses of immune checkpoint inhibitors for first-line advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Network meta-analyses (NMAs) increasingly feature time-varying hazards to account for non-proportional hazards between different drug classes. This paper outlines an algorithm for selecting clinically plausible fractional polynomial NMA models. The NMA of four immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) + tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and one TKI therapy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) served as case study.

Does testosterone replacement therapy increase the risk of conversion to treatment in patients with prostate cancer on active surveillance?

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the impact of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in patients with localized prostate cancer (CaP) who elected active surveillance (AS).

Methods: A retrospective review of our CaP database was performed. Patients who received TRT while on AS were identified and were matched to a cohort of patient on AS while not on TRT (1:3) using propensity score matching.

Changes in Tobacco Dependence and Association With Onset and Progression of Use by Product Type From Waves 1 to 3 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Introduction: This study examined trajectories of tobacco dependence (TD) in relationship to changes in tobacco product use, and explored the effects of product-specific adding, switching, or discontinued use on dependence over time.

Aims And Methods: Data were analyzed from the first three waves from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal study of adults and youth in the United States. Data included 9556 wave 1 (2013-2014) adult current established tobacco users aged 18 or older who completed all three interviews and had established use at ≥2 assessments.

Therapeutic Banding for Bleeding Duodenal Lymphangiectasias: A Novel Approach.

With endoscopic advancements, the number of detected intestinal lymphangiectasias has been on the rise. They are generally considered benign and incidental; occasionally, these lesions carry complications, and best management options need to be established. Bleeding intestinal lymphangiectasias should be considered a rare cause in the differential diagnosis for gastrointestinal bleeding.

Utilizing metformin to prevent metabolic syndrome due to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT): a randomized phase II study of metformin in non-diabetic men initiating ADT for advanced prostate cancer.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can lead to metabolic syndrome (MS) and is implicated in ADT-resistance. Metformin showed antineoplastic activity through mTOR inhibition secondary AMPK-activation.

Materials And Methods: To investigate whether metformin mitigated ADT-related MS, we conducted a randomized double-blind phase II trial of metformin 500 mg TID or placebo in non-diabetic patients with biochemically-relapsed or advanced PC due for ADT.

How murine models of human disease and immunity are influenced by housing temperature and mild thermal stress.

At the direction of The Guide and Use of Laboratory Animals, rodents in laboratory facilities are housed at ambient temperatures between 20°C and 26°C, which fall below their thermoneutral zone (TNZ). TNZ is identified as a range of ambient temperatures that allow an organism to regulate body temperature without employing additional thermoregulatory processes (e.g.

Extended Level IV Neck Dissection for Limited Prophylactic Clearance of Level V in Node-Positive Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: a Homogenous Study Population.

There is near consensus that prophylactic lateral neck dissection has no role in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer, but the extent of lateral neck dissection in differentiated thyroid cancer remains controversial, especially whether level V should be addressed or not. There is lot of heterogeneity in reporting of the management of level V in papillary thyroid cancer. We at our Institute address the lateral neck positive papillary thyroid cancer with selective neck dissection involving levels II-IV, performing extended level IV dissection with inclusion of the triangular area delineated by the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the clavicle, and the perpendicular line drawn to the clavicle from the point where the horizontal line at the level of cricoid cuts the posterior border of sternocleidomastoid muscle.

The Use of a Fabricated Endotracheal Tube During an Acute Massive Pulmonary Hemorrhage: A Case Report.

A massive pulmonary hemorrhage is an emergency that can lead to airway compromise and cardiovascular collapse. The goals of airway management are to isolate and protect the nonbleeding lung while providing a route for interventions to diagnose and control the bleeding site. We present a case of an adult male with a lung mass who underwent a bronchoscopy and cryobiopsy that was complicated by a massive pulmonary hemorrhage.

Impact of detectable monoclonal protein at diagnosis on outcomes in marginal zone lymphoma: a multicenter cohort study.

Given the paucity of data surrounding the prognostic relevance of monoclonal paraprotein (M-protein) in marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), we sought to evaluate the impact of detecting M-protein at diagnosis on outcomes in patients with MZL in a large retrospective cohort. The study included 547 patients receiving first-line therapy for MZL. M-protein was detectable at diagnosis in 173 (32%) patients.

Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) clinical practice guideline on immunotherapy for the treatment of gynecologic cancer.

Advanced gynecologic cancers have historically lacked effective treatment options. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of cervical cancer and endometrial cancer, offering durable responses for some patients. In addition, many immunotherapy strategies are under investigation for the treatment of earlier stages of disease or in other gynecologic cancers, such as ovarian cancer and rare gynecologic tumors.

Survival Benefit of Perioperative Systemic Chemotherapy for Patients With N0 to N1 NSCLC Having Synchronous Brain Metastasis.

Introduction: In stage IV NSCLC with solitary or oligometastatic brain metastasis, surgical resection of the primary and definitive management of the brain metastasis is an accepted standard. However, the effect of systemic chemotherapy after surgical resection on overall survival is not well-established.

Methods: We used the National Cancer Database to retrospectively identify individuals with NSCLC as the primary tumor along with synchronous brain metastases who underwent thoracic resection with or without adjuvant chemotherapy.

Low incisional hernia incidence using a large-bite, low-tension technique for celiotomy closure.

Background: Incisional herniae (IH) are reported in 5->20 % of patients undergoing open celiotomy, and can be linked to closure technique. The STITCH randomized trial favors a small bite technique for midline celiotomy closure with a 1-year IH rate of 13 % over larger bites (23 %).

Methods: A continuous musculofascial mass closure with absorbable looped #1 PDS suture with 2-cm bite size was used for all open celiotomies.

Outcomes of surgical resection and intraoperative electron radiotherapy for patients with para-aortic recurrences of gastrointestinal and gynecologic malignancies.

Background: Para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastases from primary pelvic malignancies are often treated with resection, but recurrence is common. We report toxicity and oncologic outcomes for patients with PALN metastases from gastrointestinal and gynecologic malignancies treated with resection and intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IORT).

Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with recurrent PALN metastases who underwent resection with IORT.

Update to the design and methods of the PATH Study, Wave 4 (2016-2017).

The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study is a nationally representative study of the US population on tobacco use and its effects on health, with four waves of data collection between 2013 and 2017. Prior work described the methods of the first three waves. In this paper, we describe the methods of Wave 4, during which a replenishment sample was added to the ongoing cohort.

Nonmonotone invasion landscape by noise-aware control of metastasis activator levels.

A major pharmacological assumption is that lowering disease-promoting protein levels is generally beneficial. For example, inhibiting metastasis activator BACH1 is proposed to decrease cancer metastases. Testing such assumptions requires approaches to measure disease phenotypes while precisely adjusting disease-promoting protein levels.

Carboplatin dosing in the treatment of ovarian cancer: An NRG oncology group study.

Objective: To determine the effects of using National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines to estimate renal function on carboplatin dosing and explore adverse effects associated with a more accurate estimation of lower creatinine clearance (CrCl).

Methods: Retrospective data were obtained for 3830 of 4312 patients treated on GOG182 (NCT00011986)-a phase III trial of platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced-stage ovarian cancer. Carboplatin dose per patient on GOG182 was determined using the Jelliffe formula.

Development and testing of a polygenic risk score for breast cancer aggressiveness.

Aggressive breast cancers portend a poor prognosis, but current polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for breast cancer do not reliably predict aggressive cancers. Aggressiveness can be effectively recapitulated using tumor gene expression profiling. Thus, we sought to develop a PRS for the risk of recurrence score weighted on proliferation (ROR-P), an established prognostic signature.

Outcomes with chimeric antigen receptor t-cell therapy in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate outcomes following chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (RR-AML).

Methods: We performed a literature search on PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov.

Impact of early relapse within 24 months after first-line systemic therapy (POD24) on outcomes in patients with marginal zone lymphoma: A US multisite study.

Progression of disease within 24 months (POD24) from diagnosis in marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) was shown to portend poor outcomes in prior studies. However, many patients with MZL do not require immediate therapy, and the time from diagnosis-to-treatment interval can be highly variable with no universal criteria to initiate systemic therapy. Hence, we sought to evaluate the prognostic relevance of early relapse or progression within 24 months from systemic therapy initiation in a large US cohort.

Indicators of Tobacco Dependence Among Youth: Findings From Wave 1 (2013-2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.

Background: Prior work established a measure of tobacco dependence (TD) among adults that can be used to compare TD across different tobacco products. We extend this approach to develop a common, cross-product metric for TD among youth.

Methods: One thousand one hundred and forty-eight youth aged 12-17 who used a tobacco product in the past 30 days were identified from 13 651 youth respondents in Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Application of multi-spectral CT imaging in Crohn's disease: a systematic review.

Background: No quantitative computed tomography (CT) biomarker is actually sufficiently accurate to assess Crohn's disease (CD) lesion activity, with adequate precision to guide clinical decisions.

Purpose: To assess the available literature on the use of iodine concentration (IC), from multi-spectral CT acquisition, as a quantitative parameter able to distinguish healthy from affected bowel and assess CD bowel activity and heterogeneity of activity along the involved segments.

Material And Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify original research studies published up to February 2022.