Improving postsurgical paresis in brain tumor patients by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Background And Objectives: Recently, reduction of transcallosal inhibition by contralateral navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (nrTMS) improved neurorehabilitation of glioma patients with new postoperative paresis. This multicentric study examines the effect of postoperative nrTMS in brain tumor patients to treat surgery-related upper extremity paresis.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of two randomized and three one-arm studies in brain tumor patients with new/progressive postoperative paresis.

Is it time to retire preoperative radiation for localized esophageal and gastro-esophageal adenocarcinoma?

Whether preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or perioperative chemotherapy is superior for localized esophageal or gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) cancers has been a topic of long-standing debate. For years, standard of care in the United States for localized esophageal or GEJ adenocarcinoma (EAC) has been physician's choice between the 2 strategies. More recently, adjuvant immunotherapy has also been introduced into the treatment approach for those who received neoadjuvant CRT.

Pooled safety analysis and management of sotorasib-related adverse events in KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: We describe the safety of sotorasib monotherapy in patients with KRAS G12C-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and discuss practical recommendations for managing key risks.

Methods: Incidence rates of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were pooled from 4 clinical trials: CodeBreaK 100 (NCT03600883), CodeBreaK 101 (NCT04185883), CodeBreaK 105 (NCT04380753), and CodeBreaK 200 (NCT04303780) and graded according to CTCAE v5.0.

Intratumoral or Subcutaneous MK-2118, a Non-Cyclic Dinucleotide STING Agonist, With or Without Pembrolizumab for Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors or Lymphomas.

Background: We evaluated the non-cyclic dinucleotide stimulator of interferon genes agonist MK-2118 ± pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphomas.

Methods: This first-in-human study (NCT03249792) enrolled patients with refractory, advanced solid tumors or lymphomas. Patients received intratumoral (IT) MK-2118 100-20,000 µg (arm 1), IT MK-2118 900-15,000 µg plus intravenous (IV) pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks (Q3W; arm 2), or subcutaneous (SC) MK-2118 5000-150,000 µg plus IV pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W (arm 4); arm 3 (visceral injection of MK-2118) was not pursued.

Can an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Smartphone App Help Individuals with Mental Health Disorders Quit Smoking?

Background: Individuals with mental health disorders face major barriers in accessing smoking cessation care, often due to the stigmas associated with mental disorders and addiction. Consequently, accessible population-based smoking cessation interventions are needed for this vulnerable group.

Objective: This secondary analysis utilized data from a 12-month randomized trial to examine whether an acceptance and commitment therapy-based app (iCanQuit) demonstrated greater efficacy, engagement, and satisfaction compared to a United States (US) Clinical Practice Guidelines-based app (QuitGuide) in helping adults with mental health disorders quit smoking.

The effect of oral methadone on the QTc interval in cancer pain patients.

Introduction: The QTc prolongation effect of methadone has been extensively studied at higher doses commonly used in opioid dependence maintenance therapy, but evidence remains limited regarding its impact at the lower doses typically prescribed for cancer pain. This study aims to evaluate the effect of oral methadone on QTc intervals in cancer pain patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on adult patients initiated on oral methadone therapy for cancer.

Novel Use and Value of Contrast-Enhanced Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging Morphologic and Radiomic Features in Predicting Extremity Soft Tissue Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma Treatment Response.

Purpose: Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPSs) demonstrate therapy-induced hemosiderin deposition, granulation tissue formation, fibrosis, and calcification. We aimed to determine the treatment-assessment value of morphologic tumoral hemorrhage patterns and first- and high-order radiomic features extracted from contrast-enhanced susceptibility-weighted imaging (CE-SWI).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective institutional review board-authorized study included 33 patients with extremity UPS with magnetic resonance imaging and resection performed from February 2021 to May 2023.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed, Advanced Ovarian Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update.

Purpose: To provide updated guidance regarding neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) among patients with stage III-IV epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (epithelial ovarian cancer [EOC]).

Methods: A multidisciplinary Expert Panel convened and updated the systematic review.

Results: Sixty-one studies form the evidence base.

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Loss Following Treatment with Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) is currently approved for treating metastatic breast cancer (MBC) which is HER2-positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] score of 3+ or ISH positivity) or HER2-low (IHC score of 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH negative), as well as for HER2-positive gastric cancer, HER2-mutant lung cancer, and HER2 overexpressing solid tumors. Given the increasing utilization of T-DXd, we sought to determine how HER2 receptor status might change following T-DXd therapy.

Design: We retrospectively reviewed patients with MBC who received T-DXd at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Common Comorbidities and a Comparison of 4 Comorbidity Indices in Patients Undergoing Orthopaedic Oncology Surgery.

Background: Comorbidity indices are used to help to estimate patients' length of hospital stay, care costs, outcomes, and mortality. Increasingly, they are considered in reimbursement models. The applicability of comorbidity indices to patients undergoing orthopaedic oncology surgery has not been studied.

Durability of response of UGN-101: Longitudinal follow up of multicenter study.

Purpose: UGN-101, a reverse thermal mitomycin gel for upper tract instillation, recently became the first FDA approved treatment for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). However, the durability of UGN-101 treatment has not been well described. Here we present long term outcomes from our multi-institutional cohort for patients who initially responded to treatment.

Dyad leadership blueprint: nine strategies for effective collaboration.

Background/aim: The physician-administrator dyads are a strategic method of collaboration in healthcare organisations. Dyad leaders are part of a multidisciplinary team that integrates their expertise to generate better patient, physician, and organisational outcomes. An assumption of team science is that diverse experts, while knowledgeable, struggle to work together to resolve problems because of their vastly different decision-making and implementation strategies.

Parenting Stress in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multisystemic genetic disorder with clinical variability. As the needs of children with TSC may differ, parenting demands may similarly differ. Characterizing parenting stress, or emotional maladaptation from parenting duties, can enable health care providers to assist parents of children with TSC.

Letetresgene Autoleucel in Advanced/Metastatic Myxoid/Round Cell Liposarcoma.

Purpose: The cancer/testis antigen New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1) is a promising target in myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS).

Methods: In this pilot study, we assessed the adoptive T-cell therapy NY-ESO-1cT letetresgene autoleucel (lete-cel) in patients with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*02:01-, HLA-A*02:05-, and/or HLA-A*02:06-positive advanced/metastatic NY-ESO-1-expressing MRCLS. Patients underwent a reduced-dose (cohort 1) or standard-dose (cohort 2) lymphodepletion regimen (LDR).

CA-125 as a Biomarker in Renal Medullary Carcinoma: Integrated Molecular Profiling, Functional Characterization, and Prospective Clinical Validation.

Purpose: Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a highly aggressive malignancy defined by the loss of the SMARCB1 tumor suppressor. It mainly affects young individuals of African descent with sickle cell trait, and it is resistant to conventional therapies used for other renal cell carcinomas. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers for early detection and disease monitoring of RMC.

Bone-Induced Her2 Promotes Secondary Metastasis in HR+/Her2- Breast Cancer.

Bone metastases can disseminate to secondary sites and promote breast cancer progression creating additional clinical challenges. The mechanisms contributing to secondary metastasis are barely understood. Here, we evaluate the prediction power of Her2-expressing (Her2E) circulating tumor cells (CTCs) after analyzing over 13,000 CTCs from a cohort of 137 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients with initial HR+/Her2- status and employ preclinical models of bone metastasis (BM) to validate the role of Her2E CTCs in multi-organ metastases.

Age-associated alterations in immune and inflammatory responses in captive olive baboons ().

Introduction: Advanced age is a primary risk factor for many chronic diseases and conditions; however, age-related immune dysregulation is not well understood. Animal models, particularly those that resemble human age-related physiological changes, are needed to better understand immunosenescence and to improve health outcomes. Here, we explore the utility of the olive baboon (Papio anubis) in studying age-related changes to the immune system and understanding mechanisms of immunosenescence.

Revisiting phosphoregulation of Cdc25C during M-phase induction.

Cdc25C undergoes a sudden and substantial gel mobility shift at M-phase onset, correlating with abrupt activation of both Cdc25C and Cdk1 activities. A positive feedback loop between Cdk1 and Cdc25C has been used to explain this hallmark phenomenon. Here, we demonstrate that the M-phase supershift and robust activation of Cdc25C are due to the site-comprehensive phosphorylation of its long intrinsically disordered regulatory domain without requiring Cdk1 or other major mitotic kinase activities.

A novel case of glial transdifferentiation in renal medullary carcinoma brain metastasis.

Renal medullary carcinoma is a rare undifferentiated tumor of the kidney associated with sickle cell trait and characterized by INI1 (SMARCB1) loss. Although metastasis to lungs, lymph nodes, and bone is commonly reported, distant spread to the central nervous system almost never occurs. Here we present an unusual case of a patient with renal medullary carcinoma with metastasis to the brain following treatment which included tazemetostat, an EZH2 inhibitor.