Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Resection And Reconstruction Of Ewing Sarcoma Of The Cuboid Utilizing Vascularized Fibular Autograft: A Case Report, Brandon Cunha, Alexandre Arkader

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Ewing Sarcoma (EWS) rarely presents in the bones of the foot, and particularly in the cuboid, making it an exceedingly rare occurrence. We present the case of a 7-year-old female diagnosed with EWS of the right cuboid, detailing the management and outcomes of this rare presentation. The patient, now almost 5 years post-initial local control, exhibits restored foot function, a normalized gait, and no evidence of disease recurrence. This case underscores the potential for preserving lower extremity function and improving postoperative quality of life in rare presentations of EWS through innovative reconstruction strategies.

Neoadjuvant Versus Adjuvant Therapy For Stage Iiib-Iiid Melanoma, Bhumik Patel, Sangnya Upadhyaya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The treatment landscape for advanced stage melanoma is rapidly evolving due to advancements in our understanding of melanoma biology and the emergence of novel therapies. This necessitates a comprehensive review to guide clinicians in adopting evidence based and patient centric approaches to treat stage IIIB-IIID melanoma. A literature review was conducted to synthesize current information on the most optimal treatment available. Data available from different clinical trials found that neoadjuvant therapy was a more effective treatment compared to adjuvant therapies alone. Furthermore, neoadjuvant therapy with combination therapy was more efficacious in producing a complete pathological response compared to monotherapy. A …

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Referrals In Cancer Patients, Bhumik Patel, Venkateswar Venkataraman, Deanna Janora, Jack Goldberg

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) can address functional limitations in various conditions, including cancer. Cancer rehabilitation aims to address functional impairments resulting from both the disease itself and its treatments, striving to optimize physical, social, psychological, and vocational functioning. Existing literature indicates that PM&R services significantly benefit cancer patients by improving their overall quality of life. Studies have found that optimal utilization of PM&R services can increase the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) in cancer patients. Current National Comprehensive Cancer Network and American Cancer Society guidelines emphasize the importance of incorporating PM&R services into oncology care to enhance the function and …

Waiting For A Cure: Factors Influencing Melanoma Treatment Delays, Lisa Huang, David Rubin, Lothar Vidal, Jordan Riser, Christopher Jones, Samantha Hiester

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Melanoma, with a five-year survival rate of 94% in early-stage diagnosis, drops significantly when diagnosed at later stages, making identifying barriers to timely treatment crucial. This literature review examines factors influencing melanoma treatment wait times and their impact on patient outcomes. Elderly, male, and Medicare patients, along with those with higher Breslow thickness and severe melanoma stages, experienced longer wait times. Patients receiving intervention within 30 days had better survival rates. Lack of knowledge and misconceptions about melanoma contribute to delayed care, particularly in communities with lower incidence rates. Black patients faced longer waits from diagnosis to surgery, indicating disparities. …

The Clinical Definition And Characterization Of Field Of Cancerization In Patients With Actinic Keratoses, Stuti Prajapati, Christina Kontzias, Mallory Zaino, Steven Feldman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: Chronic UV radiation affects the entire area of skin exposed, leading to visible actinic keratoses (AK) and subclinical changes in the surrounding skin. AKs are hyperkeratotic lesions, with a 0.025-16% risk of transforming into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).1 Cellular atypia around AKs is the field of cancerization (FOC). Topical AK therapies can treat the FOC, while destructive treatments address visible lesions. FDA-approved products may be approved for field sizes up to 25 cm2.1,2

Objective: To characterize the FOC and assess the correlation between the FOC and number of AKs.

Methods: 100 patients with AKs were recruited. FOC was defined …

Evaluating The Effect Of A Taxane-Based Anti-Cancer Drug On The Adult Taste Organ Using A Mouse Model, Archana Kumari, Lucre'ce Estropia

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Chemosensory alteration is one of the major side effects of chemotherapy that can negatively impact the quality of life of cancer patients. Decreased appetite and food aversions can consequently lead to substantial reductions in food intake and thereby malnutrition and poor patient outcomes. The chemotherapeutic agent, taxane (docetaxel), is an effective choice of treatment for breast cancer, gastric cancer, or prostate cancer. Despite its major effects as an anti-cancer medication, patients under taxane treatments have reported taste alterations. Essentially, the drug disrupts normal microtubule growth by inhibiting microtubule depolymerization. By binding to ß-tubulin, a major component of mitotic spindles, docetaxel …

Factors And Outcomes Contributing To Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection In Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, Young Son, Brian Thomas, Lance Earnshaw, Mark Quiring, Erica Martel, Benjamin Fink, Raeann Dalton, Thomas Mueller, Philip Dorsey

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Bladder cancer represents the 6th most common for men and is classified into muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). NMIBC (T1, Ta, Tis), accounting for approximately 75% of new bladder cancer diagnoses, is limited to the mucosa, submucosa, and lamina propria. Studies have approximated the rate of recurrence in NMIBC between 50 - 70%, which sometimes progresses to muscle invasive disease. Management of NMIBC ranges from surveillance, intravesical chemotherapy to radical cystectomy (RC) and is dependent upon the TNM staging and grading of the tumor. Clinically, staging is determined via imaging, physical exam, and histology on transurethral …

The Utilization Of Osteoarticular Transfer System In The Treatment Of Distal Femur Osteoid Osteoma: A Case Report, Nikki A. Doerr, Efstratios A. Papadelis, Alec S. Kellish, Matthew T. Kleiner, Christina Gutowski

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We describe a technique for excision of subchondral epiphyseal bone lesions in the distal femur in skeletally immature patients that mitigates risk of complications associated with physeal injury, incomplete tumor resection, and iatrogenic injury to the overlying cartilage.

Case Report: Glioblastoma Tumor Presenting With Mild Changes In Memory, Samuel Thalathoti, Nicholas Palladino, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 66-year-old female who presented to the ED with generalized headache and mild confusion, who was diagnosed with high-grade glial neoplasm. The differential diagnosis of headache is vast, but without red flags or symptoms is generally from a benign cause and easily treatable. However, even in the context of a normal neurologic physical exam, symptoms such as confusion, forgetfulness, and behavioral changes should merit imaging in the workup. Glioblastoma is the most common brain tumor, accounting for 47.7% of all cases, with an incidence of 3.21 per 100,000 population. Median age of diagnosis is 64 …

Phyllodes Tumor Containing Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: A Rare Case Description & Review Of Literature, Kathryn Eckert, John Ground, Alyssa Imperatore, Victoria Tiedemann, Linda Szczurek

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Phyllodes tumors are uncommon, often benign, malignancies of the breast and account for approximately 0.5% of all breast malignancies. These tumors were first described in 1838 by Johannes Muller as cystosarcoma phyllodes and were later more aptly renamed phyllodes tumors (as they were neither cystic nor sarcomatous).(1) As a mixed connective tissue and epithelial tumor, these behave similar to benign fibroadenomas, though their growth is much more rapid and they tend to occur in older patients.(2) Hallmarked by their large size at presentation, these tumors average between 4 and 7 cm at the time of diagnosis. The only known risk …

A Mathematical Investigation On Tumor-Immune Dynamics: The Impact Of Vaccines On The Immune Response, Jonathan Quinonez, Neethi Dasu, Mahboobi Qureshi

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Mathematical models analyzing tumor-immune interactions provide a framework by which to address specific scenarios in regard to tumor-immune dynamics. Important aspects of tumor-immune surveillance to consider is the elimination of tumor cells from a host’s cell-mediated immunity as well as the implications of vaccines derived from synthetic antigen. In present studies, our mathematical model examined the role of synthetic antigen to the strength of the immune system. The constructed model takes into account accepted knowledge of immune function as well as prior work done by de Pillis et al. All equations describing tumor-immune growth, antigen presentation, immune response, and interaction …

A Rare But Life Threatening Case Of Labile Blood Pressures In Pregnancy, Kelsey Carrio Md, Aarti Aggarwal Md, Susan Mcgroarty Phd

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Pheochromocytoma is a rare but life threatening adrenal secreting tumor. The infrequency with which it is encountered makes pheochromocytoma, especially in pregnancy, a formidable diagnostic challenge.

Although a pheochromocytoma is rare, it is good to keep it in differential diagnosis as a possible cause of labile BP with headaches and significant orthostatic BP. It is critical to recognize this condition to institute an appropriate therapy & surgical intervention to prevent mortality.