Efficacy and delivery strategies of the dual Rac/Cdc42 inhibitor MBQ-167 in HER2 overexpressing breast cancer.

Trastuzumab and trastuzumab-based treatments are the standard of care for breast cancer patients who overexpress the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). However, patients often develop resistance to trastuzumab via signaling from alternative growth factor receptors that converge to activate guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that in turn activate the Rho GTPases Rac and Cdc42. Since Rac and Cdc42 have been implicated in high tumor grade and therapy resistance, inhibiting the activity of Rac and Cdc42 is a rational strategy to overcome HER2-targeted therapy resistance.

Ecological competition in the oral mycobiome of Hispanic adults living in Puerto Rico associates with periodontitis.

Fungi are a major component of the human microbiome that only recently received attention. The imbalance of indigenous fungal communities and environmental fungi present in the oral cavity may have a role in oral dysbiosis, which could exacerbate oral inflammatory diseases. We performed a cross-sectional study and recruited 88 participants aged 21 to 49 from sexually transmitted infection clinics in Puerto Rico.

Multiple myeloma incidence, mortality, and survival differences at the intersection of sex, age, and race/ethnicity: A comparison between Puerto Rico and the United States SEER population.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) survival has increased during the last decades due to the introduction of new therapies. We investigated the intersectionality among age, sex, and race/ethnicity to better understand the pattern of MM incidence, mortality, and survival.

Methods: Puerto Rico (PR) Central Cancer Registry and the United States of America (US) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program databases were used.

Association of tobacco use and the presence of anal warts in people who attend the anal Neoplasia clinic in Puerto Rico.

Background: Limited research exists regarding the association between smoking and anal warts. In this study, we evaluated this association among a clinic-based Hispanic population in Puerto Rico.

Methods: Cross-sectional study among eligible patients seen at the Anal Neoplasia Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center (2016-2023) (n = 920).

Oral Inflammation and Human Papilloma Virus Association among Hispanics.

Background: Identifying factors related to persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is essential to reduce the incidence of HPV-related cancers.

Objective: To evaluate whether gingival/periodontal inflammation is associated with oral HPV infection.

Methods: This cross-sectional study ( = 740) uses data from the follow-up visit of the San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study, which recruited overweight/obese adults aged 40-65 from Puerto Rico.

Latin American and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer 1st edition: Infections and cancer.

About 13% of all cancers around the world are associated with infectious agents, particularly in low-resource settings. The main infectious agents associated with cancer are Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), that causes gastric cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) that causes cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal cancer, hepatitis B and C viruses that cause liver cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), associated with cancers of the cervix, Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin´s lymphoma.

Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening Utilization after Hurricane María and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico (PR) has faced environmental and public health challenges that could have significantly affected cancer screening access. Using administrative claims data from PR's Medicaid population, this study assessed trends in colorectal and breast cancer screening from 2016 to 2021, the impact of disasters in screening, and the absolute deficit in screening due to the pandemic. The monthly rates of claims were analyzed using Poisson regression.

Barriers and facilitators to anal cancer screening among people living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Anal cancer (AC) disproportionally affects people living with HIV (PLWH). Although there are no consensus-based AC screening guidelines, experts recommend anal pap as a primary screening tool in settings where high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) is available. We aimed to assess barriers and facilitators to anal cancer screening in a sample of Hispanic PLWH in Puerto Rico.

Association Between Concurrent Use of Benzodiazepines and Opioids and Health Care Utilization Among Patients With Cancer in Puerto Rico.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines (BZDs) and emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admissions in patients with cancer.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs and incidence rate ratio (IRR) were estimated using logistic and negative binomial regression analyses to assess the association between concurrent use of opioids and BZDs (overlap of at least 7 days) and ER visits and hospital admissions.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy among Hispanic Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study from the Puerto Rico Community Engagement Alliance against COVID-19 Disparities (PR-CEAL).

Hispanic/Latino communities have suffered a disproportionate burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Puerto Rico has one of the highest COVID-19 primary series vaccination rates nationwide, this estimate contrasts with the reported booster doses' low uptake. This study aimed to assess health belief correlates of COVID-19 vaccine booster uptake.

Piloting a Spanish-Language Web-Based Tool for Hereditary Cancer Genetic Testing.

The delivery of hereditary cancer pre-test education among Spanish-language patients is impeded by the dearth of Spanish-speaking genetic counselors. To address this gap, we evaluated a web-based genetic education tool delivered in Spanish to provide information typically discussed during an initial genetic counseling session. Spanish-speaking patients with a personal or family history of cancer were recruited at two centers in Puerto Rico and through social media.

MicroRNA-92b targets tumor suppressor gene FBXW7 in glioblastoma.

Introduction: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive and lethal primary brain tumor. Despite limited treatment options, the overall survival of GBM patients has shown minimal improvement over the past two decades. Factors such as delayed cancer diagnosis, tumor heterogeneity, cancer stem cell survival, infiltrative nature of GBM cells, metabolic reprogramming, and development of therapy resistance contribute to treatment failure.

The cervical microbiota of Hispanics living in Puerto Rico is nonoptimal regardless of HPV status.

The cervicovaginal microbiota is influenced by host physiology, immunology, lifestyle, and ethnicity. We hypothesized that there would be differences in the cervicovaginal microbiota among pregnant, nonpregnant, and menopausal women living in Puerto Rico (PR) with and without human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer. We specifically wanted to determine if the microbiota is associated with variations in cervical cytology.

Challenges Accessing Food, Water, Healthcare Services, and Medications During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Adults in Puerto Rico and Their Association with Self-Rated Health: Assessments of PR-CEAL.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges in accessing food, water, medications, and healthcare services some of which are linked with lower self-rated health (SRH). These challenges have already been documented in the US, but it remains unknown how the pandemic affected access to food, water, medications and healthcare services, and how these challenges relate to SRH in this group, a population experiencing profound health disparities and limited resources prior to the pandemic.

Objective: To assess associations between challenges accessing food, water, healthcare, and medications during the COVID-19 pandemic and SRH among adults in Puerto Rico.

Rac and Cdc42 inhibitors reduce macrophage function in breast cancer preclinical models.

Background: Metastatic disease lacks effective treatments and remains the primary cause of mortality from epithelial cancers, especially breast cancer. The metastatic cascade involves cancer cell migration and invasion and modulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME). A viable anti-metastasis strategy is to simultaneously target the migration of cancer cells and the tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive inflammatory cells such as activated macrophages, neutrophils, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC).

Evaluating the performance of anal cytology and high-risk HPV genotyping for detecting anal HSIL in a clinic-based sample of people living with and without HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Given the disproportionately elevated anal cancer risk in high-risk populations, it is important to assess the performance of commonly used anal cancer screening tools to improve the effectiveness of detection and treatment methods. This study evaluates 1) the concordance between anal cytology and histology results and 2) the performance of cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) genotyping as screening tools for detecting histologically confirmed anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL).

Methods: Data from the Anal Neoplasia Clinic in Puerto Rico (2014-2021; n = 466) was used.

Increased Prevalence of Advanced Histologic Features in Small and Diminutive Polyps in Patients Undergoing Surveillance and Diagnostic Colonoscopy.

Objective: Studies addressing small and diminutive polyps and their potential of harboring advanced histologic features (AH) are scarce in Hispanics. We aimed to determine the prevalence of AH in a cohort of Hispanics.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of patients who had a colonoscopy from 2005 through 2010.

Incidence and Mortality Rates for Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Puerto Rican Hispanics, 2012-2016.

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) accounts for 80% of all leukemias diagnosed in children. Although ALL age patterns are consistent across racial/ethnic groups, their incidence and mortality rates are highly variable. We assessed the age-standardized ALL incidence and mortality rates of Puerto Rican Hispanic (PRH) children and compared them with those of US mainland Hispanics (USH), non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB), and Non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islanders (NHAPI).

Climate Change and Cancer.

Climate change, the greatest threat to human health of our time, has implications for cancer control efforts throughout the cancer care continuum. The direct and indirect impacts of climate change on cancer risk, access to care, and outcomes are numerous and compounding, yet many oncology professionals might not be familiar with the strong connection between climate change and cancer. Thus, to increase awareness of this topic among cancer researchers, practitioners, and other professionals, this commentary discusses the links between climate change and cancer prevention and control, provides examples of adaptation and mitigation efforts, and describes opportunities and resources for future research.

Alteration of Community Metabolism by Prebiotics and Medicinal Herbs.

Several studies have examined the impact of prebiotics on gut microbiota and associated changes in host physiology. Here, we used the in vitro cultivation of human fecal samples stimulated with a series of chemically related prebiotics and medicinal herbs commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine, followed by 16S rRNA sequencing. We applied a genome-wide metabolic reconstruction of enumerated communities to compare and contrast the structural and functional impact of prebiotics and medicinal herbs.

Molecular and Sociodemographic Colorectal Cancer Disparities in Latinos Living in Puerto Rico.

Background: The incidence of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) among individuals <50 years (early-onset CRC) has been increasing in the United States (U.S.) and Puerto Rico.

Breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening test use in the US territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Background: The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening among eligible adults, but information on screening use in the US territories is limited.

Methods: To estimate the proportion of adults up-to-date with breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening based on USPSTF recommendations, we analyzed Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2016, 2018, and 2020 for the 50 US states and DC (US) and US territories of Guam and Puerto Rico and from 2016 for the US Virgin Islands. Age-standardized weighted proportions for up-to-date cancer screening were examined overall and by select characteristics for each jurisdiction.

Attitudes towards HPV and COVID school-entry policies among adults living in Puerto Rico.

Prior to the COVID pandemic, Puerto Rico (PR) had one of the highest Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates in the United States. The COVID pandemic and administration of COVID vaccines might have impacted attitudes toward HPV vaccination. This study compared attitudes toward HPV and COVID vaccines with respect to school-entry policies among adults living in PR.

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with hepatitis C: a cross-sectional study of persons who inject drugs in Puerto Rico, 2018.

Background: People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) are at a higher risk of acquiring bloodborne infections. We aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in PWID and identify correlates and risk factors using data from the Puerto Rico National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, PWID cycle 5, conducted in 2018.

Methods: A total of 502 San Juan Metropolitan Statistical Area participants were recruited through the Respondent Driven Sampling method.