Digital Commons Network^™

Nurse-Led Education On Oral Chemotherapy Medications, Carmen Lucia Glick Alonso

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among women in the United States. Annually, around 264,000 breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women and 2,400 in men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). According to the American Cancer Society, the risk of a woman in the United States being diagnosed with breast cancer in their life is around 13% (2022).

Context: Along with a cancer diagnosis comes the need to introduce patient education about new oral chemotherapy treatments. As a treatment team member, the oncology nurse plays a vital role in this …

Pyrvinium Pamoate: Past, Present, And Future As An Anti-Cancer Drug, Christopher W Schultz, Avinoam Nevler

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Pyrvinium, a lipophilic cation belonging to the cyanine dye family, has been used in the clinic as a safe and effective anthelminthic for over 70 years. Its structure, similar to some polyaminopyrimidines and mitochondrial-targeting peptoids, has been linked with mitochondrial localization and targeting. Over the past two decades, increasing evidence has emerged showing pyrvinium to be a strong anti-cancer molecule in various human cancers in vitro and in vivo. This efficacy against cancers has been attributed to diverse mechanisms of action, with the weight of evidence supporting the inhibition of mitochondrial function, the WNT pathway, and cancer stem cell renewal. …

Indwelling Pleural Catheterization Maximizes Functionality And Quality Of Life In Management Of Recurrent Malignant Pleural Effusions, Avinash Ramkissoon

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Davies HE, Mishra EK, Kahan BC, et al. Effect of an indwelling pleural catheter vs chest tube and talc pleurodesis for relieving dyspnea in patients with malignant pleural effusion: The TIME2 randomized controlled trial. J Am Med Assoc. 2012;307(22):2383-2389. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.5535

for the management of recurrent malignant pleural effusions in a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Labrad : Vol 47, Issue 2 - December 2022, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi

LABRAD

• From the Editor’s Desk
• Case Quiz
• Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography Clinical Usefulness of Biochemical Parameters in Prenatal Diagnosis of Down Syndrome In First and Second Trimester
• The Science of Efficiency in a Clinical Laboratory
• Updates in new WHO Blue Book
• Monkeypox vs. COVID-19
• From the Diary of a Researcher- Notes on Understanding Beta-Thalassemia and Metabolic Bone Disease
• Significance of Audit in a Clinical Laboratory
• Microsatellite Instability (MSI) Testing
• Pre-Analytical Variables Affecting Coagulation Testing
• Grading of Soft Tissue Sarcomas
• Recent Updates in 2022 WHO Classification of Thyroid Neoplasms
• MMR and MSI Testing in Malignancies
• Transforming Pedagogical Framework of Pathology through Social …

Response To Chen Et. Al, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Whilst our paper was published in three parts to assist with readability it is essentially a single report. Our analysis moves logically from continuous and categorical bivariate studies to inverse probability weighted multivariate (IPWM) and then geospatiotemporal analysis and finally statistical analysis of geospatiotemporal models. Context is important. As stated by Chen and colleagues IPWM models are very powerful and present compelling conclusions and have the effect of transforming ecological into pseudo-randomized studies from which it is entirely proper to draw causal conclusions. That this report follows similar earlier IPWM and geotemporospatial reports on the commonest cancer in adults and …

Antibody-Drug Conjugates For The Treatment Of Her2-Positive Breast Cancer, Mariana K Najjar, Sara G Manore, Angelina T Regua, Hui-Wen Lo

Journal Articles

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptor tyrosine kinase is overexpressed in 20–30% of breast cancers and is associated with poor prognosis and worse overall patient survival. Most women with HER2-positive breast cancer receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus HER2-targeted therapies. The development of HER2-directed therapeutics is an important advancement in targeting invasive breast cancer. Despite the efficacy of anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies, they are still being combined with adjuvant chemotherapy to improve overall patient outcomes. Recently, significant progress has been made towards the development of a class of therapeutics known as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which leverage the high specificity of HER2-targeted …

Impact Of Dietary Walnuts, A Nutraceutical Option, On Circulating Markers Of Metabolic Dysregulation In A Rodent Cachectic Tumor Model, Lauri O. Byerley, Hsiao Man Chang, Brittany Lorenzen, Jessie Guidry, W. Elaine Hardman

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Nutraceutical foods, like walnuts which are rich in immunonutrients, can have medicinal benefits. Dietary walnuts have been shown to slow or prevent tumor growth in mice genetically programmed to grow breast or prostate tumors. This study investigated whether walnuts could exert the same preventable effect in a transplantable carcinoma rat model. Methods: Eighteen rats were randomly fed a diet containing walnuts (10% of food by weight), and 36 were fed a diet without walnuts (control) for 21 days. On day 22, 18 control diet rats were switched to the walnut diet. All other animals remained on their same diet. …

The Impact Of Obesity And Adipokines On Breast And Gynecologic Malignancies, Surabhi Tewari, Roberto Vargas, Ofer Reizes

Faculty Scholarship

The link between obesity and multiple disease comorbidities is well established. In 2003, Calle and colleagues presented the relationship between obesity and several cancer types, including breast, ovarian, and endometrial malignancies. Nearly, 20% of cancer-related deaths in females can be accounted for by obesity. Identifying obesity as a risk factor for cancer led to a focus on the role of fat-secreted cytokines, known as adipokines, on carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Early studies indicated that the adipokine leptin increases cell proliferation, invasion, and inhibition of apoptosis in multiple cancer types. As a greater appreciation of the obesity–cancer link has amassed, we …

A Machine Learning Model Of Response To Hypomethylating Agents In Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Nathan Radakovich, David A. Sallman, Rena Buckstein, Andrew Brunner, Amy Dezern, Sudipto Mukerjee, Rami Komrokji, Najla Al-Ali, Jacob Shreve, Yazan Rouphail, Anne Parmentier, Alexandre Mamedov, Mohammed Siddiqui, Yihong Guan, Teodora Kuzmanovic, Metis Hasipek, Babal Jha, Jaroslaw P. Maciejewski, Mikkael A. Sekeres, Aziz Nazha

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Hypomethylating agents (HMA) prolong survival and improve cytopenias in individuals with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Only 30-40% of patients, however, respond to HMAs, and responses may not occur for more than 6 months after HMA initiation. We developed a model to more rapidly assess HMA response by analyzing early changes in patients’ blood counts. Three institutions’ data were used to develop a model that assessed patients’ response to therapy 90 days after the initiation using serial blood counts. The model was developed with a training cohort of 424 patients from2 institutions and validated on an independent cohort of 90 patients. …

Prevalence Of Geriatric Syndromes In Elderly Undergoing Chemotherapy, Aulia Rizka, Helda Helda, Findy Prasetyawaty, Arcita Hanjani

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. Geriatric syndromes is associated with poor survival, poor quality of life and increased chemotoxicity risk in elderly receiving chemotherapy. Geriatric syndromes is currently not routinely evaluated in pre-chemotherapy clinical setting. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of some geriatric syndromes in elderly patients undergoing chemotherapy.Methods. This study is part of primary study investigating geriatric syndromes in elderly with cancer. A descriptive cross sectional study during March 2020 – March 2021 was conducted to elderly patients before chemotherapy administration in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, a national referral hospital in Jakarta. Patients were recruited consecutively. Patients underwent Comprehensive Geriatric Assesment (CGA), …

Cancer As A Channelopathy—Appreciation Of Complimentary Pathways Provides A Different Perspective For Developing Treatments, Harry J. Hgould@Lsuhsc.Edu Gould, Dennis Paul

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Life depends upon the ability of cells to evaluate and adapt to a constantly changing environment and to maintain internal stability to allow essential biochemical reactions to occur. Ions and ion channels play a crucial role in this process and are essential for survival. Alterations in the expression of the transmembrane proteins responsible for maintaining ion balance that occur as a result of mutations in the genetic code or in response to iatrogenically induced changes in the extracellular environment is a characteristic feature of oncogenesis and identifies cancer as one of a constellation of diseases known as channelopathies. The classification …

Smoking And Other Determinants Of Covid Severity Among Cancer Patients, Sameh Gomaa, Lindsay Wilde, Md, Tara Rakiewicz, Kuang-Yi Wen

Department of Medical Oncology Posters

Introduction

• Cancer patients might be more susceptible to COVID-19 infection.
• With a higher incidence of acute complications, severe disease and higher mortality rates.
• Identifying factors contributing to severe disease remains essential to avoid the risk of severe and often fatal COVID-19 exposure.
• We report on the predisposing factors for severe COVID-19 and increased hospitalization burden in cancer patients at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) in Philadelphia.

Cancer Patient Beliefs And Attitudes Regarding Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy, Nedal Darwish, Delaney C. Stuhr, Haily M. Datz, Halima Bakillah, Tenzin Tseky, Mohamed Manaa, Serge Dauphin

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

The development and widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have advanced the field of oncology in a short period of time. Despite this, patient perception regarding this new medication class has not been adequately assessed, which may affect treatment decisions and adherence. The Belief about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) is a validated survey composed of 18 questions which analyzes patient’s beliefs about the necessity of prescribed medication and concern about the potential adverse events caused by the medication. General medication overuse and harm are also determined. This is the first study to utilize the BMQ for patients on ICI therapy.

Cancer-Specific Survival After Diagnosis In Men Versus Women: A Pan-Cancer Analysis., Yan He, Yonglin Su, Junsong Zeng, Weelic Chong, Xiaolin Hu, Yu Zhang, Xingchen Peng

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Comprehensive understanding of cancer-specific survival differences in gender is critical for cancer prevention and treatment. Based on the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database, we included data from the most prevalent cancers (lung, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, stomach, colorectal, kidney, and bladder cancer). Cox proportional hazards regression models were constructed to estimate hazard ratios, simultaneously adjusting for demographic, clinical, and treatment factors. Overall, male patients had a worse cancer-specific survival than female patients. After adjustment for cancer prevalence with 1:1 matching, gender remained a significant factor in cancer-specific survival. Among the included cancer types, female patients showed survival benefit in lung, …

The Role Of Bariatric And Metabolic Surgery In The Development, Diagnosis, And Treatment Of Endometrial Cancer, Robert C. Ross, Yetunde M. Akinde, Philip R. Schauer, Carel W. Le Roux, Donal Brennan, Amelia M. Jernigan, Marco Bueter, Vance L. Albaugh

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The obesity pandemic continues to contribute to a worsening burden of disease worldwide. The link between obesity and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer has been well established, yet most patients living with obesity remain untreated or undertreated. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is the most effective and durable treatment for obesity, is safe, and may have a protective benefit with respect to cancer incidence. In this review, an overview of the link between obesity, metabolic surgery, and cancer is discussed with emphasis on indications for endometrial cancer, the malignancy most strongly associated with obesity. Considerable evidence from retrospective …

Prevalence, Distribution, And Histopathological Features Of Malignant Tumors Reported At Tertiary Level In Afghanistan: A 3-Year Study, Haider Ali Malakzai, Ahmed Maseh Haidary, Saleema A. Gulzar, Mujtaba Haidari, Abdul Sami Ibrahimkhil, Ramin Saadaat, Ahmadullah Hakimi, Sayed Murtaza Sadat Hofiani, Soma Rahmani, Jamshid Abdul Ghafar

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Purpose: Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity, and therefore, tremendous research work is continuously being done around the world with consideration of etiopathogenesis as well as identification of therapeutic targets. Decades of continuous war in Afghanistan has left the medical infrastructure of the country in a miserable situation. There is a serious deficiency in research work in the fields of pathology and oncology at the moment with minimal data available to elaborate about the demographic characteristics of various malignant disorders in the country, which would be indispensable to pave the way for further research and …

The Molecular Landscape Of Early-Stage Breast Cancer With Lymph Node Metastasis, Farhad Ghasemi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) are the primary site of metastasis in breast cancer, and their involvement has implications in disease staging, prognostication, and treatment decisions. A non-invasive modality of assessing the risk of ALN metastasis can improve care in patients with early-stage breast cancer by omitting the morbidity and costs associated with axillary surgery.

This thesis explores the molecular landscape of early-stage breast cancers with ALN metastasis and shows the potential of tumour molecular signatures in predicting ALN involvement. After a systematic review of the literature, we use data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to develop molecular signatures correlated …

Neurologic Complications Of Cancer, David Green

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Defining The Cooperation Between Mhc-I And Mhc-Ii Neoantigen-Driven T Cell Responses To Develop Effective Personalized Immunotherapies, Charmelle Williams

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) (e.g. anti-CTLA-4 (α-CTLA-4), anti-PD-1 (α-PD-1)) enables durable T cell-dependent anti-tumor immunity in certain cancer patients. Since a subset of patients respond to ICT, this work aims at developing a more in-depth understanding of T-cell responses to MHC class I (MHC-I) and MHC class II (MHC-II) tumor antigens that are derived from aberrant expression of non-mutant antigens or driver and passenger somatic alterations that can function as tumor neoantigens. We used a poorly immunogenic Braf^v600e Pten^-/- Cdkn2a^-/- YUMM1.7 (Y1.7) murine melanoma line with a paucity of endogenous neoantigens that is unresponsive to ICT, and …

Advanced-Stage Melanoma At Presentation Following The Peak Of The Pandemic: A Covid-19 Cancer Canary In A Coal Mine, Ryan Lamm, Md, Walker Lyons, Md, Winnie So, Rn, Alliric I. Willis, Md, Facs, Msph

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Background: For melanoma patients, timely identification and tumor thickness are directly correlated with outcomes. COVID-19 impacted both patients' ability and desire to see physicians. We sought to identify whether the pandemic correlated with changes in melanoma thickness at presentation and subsequent treatment timeline.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent surgery for melanoma in an academic center surgical oncology practice from May 2019 to September 2021. Patients were split into two cohorts: "pre-pandemic" from May 2019 to May 2020 and "pandemic," after May 2020, representing when these patients received their initial diagnostic biopsy. Demographic and melanoma-specific variables …

Abstracts From The 2022 Health Care Systems Research Network (Hcsrn) Annual Conference

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

The Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN) is comprised of 20 health systems with embedded research units. The network’s annual conference serves as a forum for research teams from member institutions to disseminate scientific findings, explore new collaborations, and share insights about conducting research in real-world care delivery settings. Abstracts accepted for presentation at HCSRN 2022 are published in this supplement of Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews, the official journal of HCSRN’s annual conference proceedings.

Doubling Down On Sepsis: A Quality Improvement Project To Improve Sepsis Bundle Compliance On An Inpatient Oncology Unit, Kayla Slay

Dissertations

Problem: Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the second most common cause of death in cancer patients. Early management of sepsis through use of sepsis bundles have been shown to improve patient outcomes, yet bundle adherence is unfortunately inconsistent.

Methods: A two-nurse team, called the Sepsis Sidekicks, was a process improvement initiative to increase compliance with the center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sepsis bundle and improve patient outcomes related to sepsis. The observational quality improvement project utilized a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model over a six-week period where quantitative data was collected using a retrospective chart review. …

An Investigation Into Use Of Natural Mistletoe Extracts And Their Formulations As Potential Anti-Cancer Treatments In Human Carcinomas, Rebecca Healy, Anne M. Friel

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Cancer is a prevalent disease that is responsible for around 10 million deaths a year. Cases and deaths will continue to rise daily if nothing is done to find the most effective treatment. Mistletoe is an evergreen, semi-parasitic plant that grows on trees. This plant contains a number of biologically active compounds that contribute to its anti-cancer properties e.g., lectins. Mistletoe is obtained from nature and has been shown to be safe, potent, and effective in treating cancer. Herein we review the biological effects of mistletoe on cancer cells, formulations that can be used in cancer treatment and discuss the …

The Risk And Prognosis Of Covid-19 Infection In Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Ghada M. Elgohary, Shahrukh Hashmi, Jan Styczynski, Mohamed A. Kharfan-Dabaja, Rehab M. Alblooshi, Rafael De La Camara, Sherif Mohmed, Alfadel Alshaibani, Simone Cesaro, Nashwa Abd El-Aziz, Reem Almaghrabi, Usama Gergis, Navneet S. Majhail, Roy F. Chemaly, Mahmoud Aljurf, Riad El Fakih

Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy

Numerous studies have been published regarding outcomes of cancer patients infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. However, most of these are single-center studies with a limited number of patients. To better assess the outcomes of this new infection in this subgroup of susceptible patients, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 infection on cancer patients. We performed a literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies that reported the risk of infection and complications of COVID-19 in cancer patients …

Physical Activity In Older Adults With Metastatic Gastrointestinal Cancer: A Pilot And Feasibility Study, Justin C. Brown, Elizabeth Brighton, Nancy Campbell, Nadine J. Mccleary, Thomas A. Abrams, James M. Cleary, Peter C. Enzinger, Kimmie Ng, Douglas Rubinson, Brian M. Wolpin, Matthew B. Yurgelun, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Financial Toxicity Tumor Board: A Multi-Disciplinary Team Activity Required In Low And Middle-Income Countries (Lmic), Ahmed Nadeem Abbasi, Sohail Rasool, Laraib Khan

Department of Radiation Oncology

No abstract provided.

Combined Treatment With Niclosamide And Camptothecin Enhances Anticancer Effect In U87 Mg Human Glioblastoma Cells, Laura Valdez, Benxu Cheng, Daniela Gonzalez, Reanna Rodriguez, Paola Campano, Andrew Tsin, Xiaoqian Fang

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest cancers of the brain. Its ability to infiltrate healthy brain tissues renders it difficult to remove surgically. Furthermore, it exhibits high rates of radio- and chemoresistance, making the survival rates of patients with GBM poor. Therefore, novel effective therapies for GBM remain urgently in demand. Niclosamide is an anti-helminthic drug and recently it has been receiving attention due to its reported anticancer effects in cancer models, including GBM. Furthermore, camptothecin (CPT) is a naturally-occurring alkaloid and has been previously reported to be a potential chemotherapeutic agent by targeting the nuclear topoisomerase I. …

The Future Of Targeted Kinase Inhibitors In Melanoma, Signe Caksa, Usman Baqai, A E Aplin

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment-producing cells of the body and its incidence is rising. Targeted inhibitors that act against kinases in the MAPK pathway are approved for BRAF-mutant metastatic cutaneous melanoma and increase patients' survival. Response to these therapies is limited by drug resistance and is less durable than with immune checkpoint inhibition. Conversely, rare melanoma subtypes have few therapeutic options for advanced disease and MAPK pathway targeting agents show minimal anti-tumor effects. Nevertheless, there is a future for targeted kinase inhibitors in melanoma: in new applications such as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy and in novel combinations with …

Foundations Of Plasmas For Medical Applications, T. Von Woedtke, Mounir Laroussi, M. Gherardi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Plasma medicine refers to the application of nonequilibrium plasmas at approximately body temperature, for therapeutic purposes. Nonequilibrium plasmas are weakly ionized gases which contain charged and neutral species and electric fields, and emit radiation, particularly in the visible and ultraviolet range. Medically-relevant cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) sources and devices are usually dielectric barrier discharges and nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma jets. Plasma diagnostic methods and modelling approaches are used to characterize the densities and fluxes of active plasma species and their interaction with surrounding matter. In addition to the direct application of plasma onto living tissue, the treatment of liquids …

The Effects Of Paclitaxel On Cellular Migration And The Cytoskeleton, Ashley Salguero-Gonzalez

Thinking Matters Symposium

In a clinical setting, some patients are exposed to an anti-cancer chemotherapy agent, paclitaxel. Cancerous cells undergo rapid, continuous cell division without control. Chemotherapy treatments try to slow and stop the uncontrollable cell division cycles and eliminate cancerous cells in the process. Paclitaxel serves as a treatment for some types of cancers, including lung, melanoma, bladder, and esophageal. Because it targets the cytoskeleton, paclitaxel can also influence cell migration. This project utilizes a cellular migration assay and an immunohistochemistry assay to analyze the effects of paclitaxel on the movement of cells and on the cytoskeleton of neuroglia rat cells with …