Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Factors Associated With Mammographic Breast Density Among Women In Karachi Pakistan, Uzma Shamsi, Shaista Afzal Saeed, Azra Shamsi, Syed Iqbal Azam, David Callen

Community Health Sciences

Background: There are no studies done to evaluate the distribution of mammographic breast density and factors associated with it among Pakistani women.
Methods: Participants included 477 women, who had received either diagnostic or screening mammography at two hospitals in Karachi Pakistan. Mammographic breast density was assessed using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. In person interviews were conducted using a detailed questionnaire, to assess risk factors of interest, and venous blood was collected to measure serum vitamin D level at the end of the interview. To determine the association of potential factors with mammographic breast density, multivariable polytomous logistic …

Through The Lens: Youth Experiences With Cancer In Rural Appalachian Kentucky Using Photovoice, Katie Gaines, Courtney Martin, Chris Prichard, Nathan L. Vanderford

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Rural Appalachian Kentucky experiences disproportionately high cancer incidence and mortality rates. This cancer burden is due to social determinants of health and cultural factors prominent in the region. The firsthand experiences of community members—especially young people—can highlight these factors and identify areas for improvement. The purpose of this study was to encourage Appalachian Kentucky youth to consider determinants of cancer and visualize the effects that cancer has on their families or communities by asking them to take photographs of cancer-related objects around them. Content analysis was performed on 238 photographs submitted by 25 students, and photographs were organized into themes, …

Personalized Nutrition As A Key Contributor To Improving Radiation Response In Breast Cancer, Anuradha A. Shastri, Joseph Lombardo, Samantha C Okere, Stephanie Higgins, Brittany C Smith, Tiziana Deangelis, Ajay Palagani, Kamryn Hines, Daniel A. Monti, Stella Volpe, Edith P. Mitchell, Nicole L Simone

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Understanding metabolic and immune regulation inherent to patient populations is key to improving the radiation response for our patients. To date, radiation therapy regimens are prescribed based on tumor type and stage. Patient populations who are noted to have a poor response to radiation such as those of African American descent, those who have obesity or metabolic syndrome, or senior adult oncology patients, should be considered for concurrent therapies with radiation that will improve response. Here, we explore these populations of breast cancer patients, who frequently display radiation resistance and increased mortality rates, and identify the molecular underpinnings that are, …

The Evolution Of Device-Assisted Enteroscopy: From Sonde Enteroscopy To Motorized Spiral Enteroscopy, Freddy Nehme, Hermant Goyal, Abhilash Perisetti Md, Ben Tharian, Neil Sharma Md, Tony C. Tham, Rajiv Chhabra

PCI Publications and Projects

THIS ARTICLE IS PART OF THE RESEARCH TOPIC: Recent Updates in Advanced Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

The introduction of capsule endoscopy in 2001 opened the last “black box” of the gastrointestinal tract enabling complete visualization of the small bowel. Since then, numerous new developments in the field of deep enteroscopy have emerged expanding the diagnostic and therapeutic armamentarium against small bowel diseases. The ability to achieve total enteroscopy and visualize the entire small bowel remains the holy grail in enteroscopy. Our journey in the small bowel started historically with sonde type enteroscopy and ropeway enteroscopy. Currently, double-balloon enteroscopy, single-balloon enteroscopy, and spiral …

Dysregulation Of Dna Methylation And Epigenetic Clocks In Prostate Cancer Among Puerto Rican Men, Anders Berglund, Jaime Matta, Jarline Encarnación-Medina, Carmen Ortiz-Sanchéz, Julie Dutil, Raymond Linares, Joshua Marcial, Caren Abreu-Takemura, Natasha Moreno, Ryan Putney, Ratna Chakrabarti, Hui Yi Lin, Kosj Yamoah, Carlos Diaz Osterman, Liang Wang, Jasreman Dhillon, Youngchul Kim, Seung Joon Kim, Gilberto Ruiz-Deya, Jong Y. Park

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

In 2021, approximately 248,530 new prostate cancer (PCa) cases are estimated in the United States. Hispanic/Latinos (H/L) are the second largest racial/ethnic group in the US. The objective of this study was to assess DNA methylation patterns between aggressive and indolent PCa along with ancestry proportions in 49 H/L men from Puerto Rico (PR). Prostate tumors were classified as aggressive (n = 17) and indolent (n = 32) based on the Gleason score. Genomic DNA samples were extracted by macro-dissection. DNA methylation patterns were assessed using the Illumina EPIC DNA methylation platform. We used ADMIXTURE to estimate global ancestry proportions. …

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Scoping Review, Amy L Shaver, Swapnil Sharma, Nikita Nikita, Daniel S Lefler, Atrayee Basu Mallick, Jennifer Johnson, Meghan Butryn, Grace Lu-Yao

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: Cancer therapies are associated with multiple adverse effects, including (but not limited to) cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Fatigue is one of the most common side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), occurring in up to 25% of patients. Physical activity has been shown to help reduce CRF through modulating the immune system, and may synergistically aid in the anti-tumor effects of ICIs. This review describes the nature and scope of evidence for the effects associated with concurrent physical activity while undergoing ICI therapy.

Method: Scoping review methodology was utilized to identify studies, extract data, and collate and summarize results.

Results: …

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Scoping Review., Amy L Shaver, Swapnil Sharma, Nikita Nikita, Daniel S Lefler, Atrayee Basu-Mallick, Jennifer M Johnson, Meghan Butryn, Grace Lu-Yao

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cancer therapies are associated with multiple adverse effects, including (but not limited to) cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Fatigue is one of the most common side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), occurring in up to 25% of patients. Physical activity has been shown to help reduce CRF through modulating the immune system, and may synergistically aid in the anti-tumor effects of ICIs. This review describes the nature and scope of evidence for the effects associated with concurrent physical activity while undergoing ICI therapy.

METHOD: Scoping review methodology was utilized to identify studies, extract data, and collate and summarize results.

RESULTS: …

The Curious Case Of Hla-Dr-Positive Apl, Kanta Devi, Natasha Bahadur Ali

Section of Haematology/Oncology

The triad of weak/absent CD34, negative HLA-DR expression, and positivity to CD117 is pathognomonic for the diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, in rare cases, strong positivity to HLD-DR and CD34 may be noted.

Tisagenlecleucel Immunogenicity In Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia And Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma., Karen Thudium Mueller, Stephan A. Grupp, Shannon L. Maude, John E. Levine, Michael A. Pulsipher, Michael W. Boyer, Keith August, Douglas Myers, Constantine S. Tam, Ulrich Jaeger, Stephen Ronan Foley, Peter Borchmann, Stephen J. Schuster, Edmund K. Waller, Rakesh Awasthi, Bernd Potthoff, Andy Warren, Edward R. Waldron, Fraser Mcblane, Andrea Chassot-Agostinho, Theodore W. Laetsch

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Tisagenlecleucel is indicated for pediatric and young adult patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and adult patients with r/r diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The tisagenlecleucel chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) contains a murine single-chain variable fragment domain; we examined the effects of humoral and cellular immune responses to tisagenlecleucel on clinical outcomes using 2 validated assays. Data were pooled from the ELIANA (registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02435849) and ENSIGN (#NCT02228096) trials in r/r B-ALL (N = 143) and the JULIET trial (#NCT02445248) in r/r DLBCL (N = 115). Humoral responses were determined …

Visualizing Phytochemical-Protein Interaction Networks: Momordica Charantia And Cancer, Yumi L. Briones, Alexander T. Young, Fabian M. Dayrit, Armando Jerome De Jesus, Nina Rosario L. Rojas

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The in silico study of medicinal plants is a rapidly growing field. Techniques such as reverse screening and network pharmacology are used to study the complex cellular action of medicinal plants against disease. However, it is difficult to produce a meaningful visualization of phytochemical-protein interactions (PCPIs) in the cell. This study introduces a novel workflow combining various tools to visualize a PCPI network for a medicinal plant against a disease. The five steps are 1) phytochemical compilation, 2) reverse screening, 3) network building, 4) network visualization, and 5) evaluation. The output is a PCPI network that encodes multiple dimensions of …

Radioembolization With Chemotherapy For Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Randomized, Open-Label, International, Multicenter, Phase Iii Trial, Mary F Mulcahy, Armeen Mahvash, Marc Pracht, Amir H Montazeri, Steve Bandula, Robert C G Martin, Ken Herrmann, Ewan Brown, Darryl Zuckerman, Gregory Wilson, Tae-You Kim, Andrew Weaver, Paul Ross, William P Harris, Janet Graham, Jamie Mills, Alfonso Yubero Esteban, Matthew S Johnson, Constantinos T Sofocleous, Siddharth A Padia, Robert J Lewandowski, Etienne Garin, Philip Sinclair, Riad Salem

Journal Articles

PURPOSE: To study the impact of transarterial Yttrium-90 radioembolization (TARE) in combination with second-line systemic chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM).

METHODS: In this international, multicenter, open-label phase III trial, patients with CLM who progressed on oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based first-line therapy were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive second-line chemotherapy with or without TARE. The two primary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and hepatic PFS (hPFS), assessed by blinded independent central review. Random assignment was performed using a web- or voice-based system stratified by unilobar or bilobar disease, oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based first-line chemotherapy, and

RESULTS: Four hundred twenty-eight patients from …

Keratin 1 As A Cell-Surface Receptor In Cancer, Oluseye Ogunnigbagbe, Christopher G. Bunick, Kamaljit Kaur

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Keratins are fibrous proteins that take part in several important cellular functions, including the formation of intermediate filaments. In addition, keratins serve as epithelial cell markers, which has made their role in cancer progression, diagnosis, and treatment an important focus of research. Keratin 1 (K1) is a type II keratin whose structure is comprised of a coiled-coil central domain flanked by flexible, glycine-rich loops in the N- and C-termini. While the structure of cytoplasmic K1 is established, the structure of cell-surface K1 is not known. Several transformed cells, such as cancerous cells and cells that have undergone oxidative stress, display …

Sox10 Requirement For Melanoma Tumor Growth Is Due, In Part, To Immune-Mediated Effects, Sheera Rosenbaum, Manoela Tiago, Signe Caksa, Claudia Capparelli, Timothy J. Purwin, Gaurav Kumar, Mckenna Glasheen, Danielle Pomante, Daniel Kotas, I Chervoneva, A E Aplin

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Developmental factors may regulate the expression of immune modulatory proteins in cancer, linking embryonic development and cancer cell immune evasion. This is particularly relevant in melanoma because immune checkpoint inhibitors are commonly used in the clinic. SRY-box transcription factor 10 (SOX10) mediates neural crest development and is required for melanoma cell growth. In this study, we investigate immune-related targets of SOX10 and observe positive regulation of herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) and carcinoembryonic-antigen cell-adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1). Sox10 knockout reduces tumor growth in vivo, and this effect is exacerbated in immune-competent models. Modulation of CEACAM1 expression but not HVEM elicits modest …

Ivermectin Induces Apoptosis Of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Via Mitochondrial Pathway, Nana Xu, Mengmeng Lu, Jiaxin Wang, Yujia Li, Xiaotian Yang, Xiajie Wei, Jiaoyang Si, Jingru Han, Xiaojuan Yao, Juanmei Zhang, Junqi Liu, Yanming Li, Hushan Yang, Dengke Bao

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most predominant primary malignant tumor among worldwide, especially in China. To date, the successful treatment remains a mainly clinical challenge, it is imperative to develop successful therapeutic agents.

Methods: The anti-proliferative effect of ivermectin on ESCC is investigated in cell model and in nude mice model. Cell apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometry, TUNEL assay and western blotting. Mitochondrial dysfunction was determined by reactive oxygen species accumulation, mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels.

Results: Our results determined that ivermectin significantly inhibited the proliferation of ESCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, …

Metabolic Pathways And Targets In Chondrosarcoma, Ida Micaily, Megan E Roche, Mohammad Y Ibrahim, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Atrayee Basu Mallick

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Chondrosarcomas are the second most common primary bone malignancy. Chondrosarcomas are characterized by the production of cartilaginous matrix and are generally resistant to radiation and chemotherapy and the outcomes are overall poor. Hence, there is strong interest in determining mechanisms of cancer aggressiveness and therapeutic resistance in chondrosarcomas. There are metabolic alterations in chondrosarcoma that are linked to the epigenetic state and tumor microenvironment that drive treatment resistance. This review focuses on metabolic changes in chondrosarcoma, and the relationship between signaling via isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1 and IDH2), hedgehog, PI3K-mTOR-AKT, and SRC, as well as histone acetylation and …

Association Between Sex And Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Outcomes For Patients With Melanoma., Se Ryeong Jang, Nikita Nikita, Joshua Banks, Scott W. Keith, Jennifer M. Johnson, Melissa Wilson, Grace Lu-Yao

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Importance: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized melanoma treatment and are now standard of care. Although sex is associated with immune function and immune-related diseases, the interaction between sex and ICIs is understudied.

Objective: To examine whether cancer immunotherapy effectiveness varies between female and male patients with advanced melanoma treated with either nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy or anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy (namely, pembrolizumab or nivolumab).

Design, Setting, and Participants: The study population consisted of 1369 older adults (aged ≥65 years) with a record of melanoma diagnosis from January 1, 1991, to December 31, 2015, in the …

Durable Response To Brentuximab Vedotin Plus Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, And Prednisone (Bv-Chp) In A Patient With Cd30-Positive Ptcl Arising As A Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (Ptld), Jennifer Hong, William T Johnson, Saritha Kartan, Anitha S Gonsalves, Jonathan M. Fenkel, Jerald Z. Gong, Pierluigi Porcu

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

T-cell PTLDs are lymphoid proliferations that develop in recipients of SOT or allogeneic HSCT. They carry an extremely poor prognosis with a reported median survival of only 6 months. The infrequency with which they are encountered makes treatment a challenge due to the lack of prospective trials to guide management. The significantly higher risk of morbidity and mortality in T-cell PTLD, compared to B-cell PTLD, underscores the challenge of treating these patients and the need for new therapeutic options. Brentuximab vedotin, an ADC targeting CD30, is FDA-approved in combination with CHP as front-line treatment for patients with CD30 expressing PTCL. …

Steviol Represses Glucose Metabolism And Translation Initiation In Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Sonam Kumari, Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, Manish Tripathi, Bilal B. Hafeez, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan, Meena Jaggi

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis and lowest survival rate among all cancers. Pancreatic cancer cells are highly metabolically active and typically reprogrammed for aberrant glucose metabolism; thus they respond poorly to therapeutic modalities. It is highly imperative to understand mechanisms that are responsible for high glucose metabolism and identify natural/synthetic agents that can repress glucose metabolic machinery in pancreatic cancer cells, to improve the therapeutic outcomes/management of pancreatic cancer patients. We have identified a glycoside, steviol that effectively represses glucose consumption in pancreatic cancer cells via the inhibition of the translation initiation machinery of the molecular components. Herein, we …

Laparoscopic Assisted Robotic Radical Prostatectomy With Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection Using Viable Cryopreserved Umbilical Tissue To Improve Cavernosal Nerve Function., Joshua Volin, Brett Watson, Lior Kopel, Samantha Kraemer, Jason Hafron

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Radical prostatectomy is the preferred treatment for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer and is typically performed using a robotic approach. Surgical techniques that preserve the neurovascular bundle minimize the risk of incontinence and erectile dysfunction post-operatively. Umbilical cord tissue is a relatively new technique, which has been shown to reduce inflammation and promote regenerative healing. In this video we show a robotic radical prostatectomy with bilateral nerve sparing technique utilizing a cryopreserved umbilical cord allograft nerve wrap.

Thrombosis With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome After Administration Of Azd1222 Or Ad26.Cov2.S Vaccine For Covid-19: A Systematic Review, Usama Waqar, Shaheer Ahmed, Syed M H Ali Gardezi, Muhammad Sarmad Tahir, Zain Ul Abidin, Ali Hussain, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Syed Faisal Mahmood

Medical College Documents

Background: Cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) have been reported following vaccination with AZD1222 or Ad26.COV2.S. This review aimed to explore the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of TTS.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify evidence on TTS till 4th September 2021. Case reports and series reporting patient-level data were included. Descriptive statistics were reported and compared across patients with different sexes, age groups, vaccines, types of thrombosis, and outcomes.
Findings: Sixty-two studies reporting 160 cases were included from 16 countries. Patients were predominantly females with a median age of 42.50 (22) years. AZD1222 was administered …

Radioresistance In Prostate Cancer: Focus On The Interplay Between Nf-Κb And Sod, Sameera Kumar, Daret St. Clair

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer occurs frequently in men and can often lead to death. Many cancers, including prostate cancer, can be initiated by oxidative insult caused by free radicals and reactive oxygen species. The superoxide dismutase family removes the oxygen-derived reactive oxygen species, and increased superoxide dismutase activity can often be protective against prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can be treated in a variety of ways, including surgery, androgen deprivation therapy, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The clinical trajectory of prostate cancer varies from patient to patient, but more aggressive tumors often tend to be radioresistant. This is often due to the free-radical and …

Bay Leaf Extract‐Based Near‐Infrared Fluorescent Probe For Tissue And Cellular Imaging, Benilde Adriano, Nycol Cotto, Neeraj Chauhan, Vinitha Karumuru, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

The development of fluorescence dyes for near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging has been a significant interest for deep tissue imaging. Among many imaging fluoroprobes, indocyanine green (ICG) and its analogues have been used in oncology and other medical applications. However, these imaging agents still experience poor imaging capabilities due to low tumor targetability, photostability, and sensitivity in the biological milieu. Thus, developing a biocompatible NIR imaging dye from natural resources holds the potential of facilitating cancer cell/tissue imaging. Chlorophyll (Chl) has been demonstrated to be a potential candidate for imaging purposes due to its natural NIR absorption qualities and its wide …

Outcomes Of Patients With Double/Triple Expressor Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (Dlbcl) Treated With R-Da-Epoch/R-Chop: A Single-Center Experience, Kanta Devi, Mohammad Usman Shaikh, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Salman Adil, Maria Khan, Salman Muhammad Soomar

Section of Haematology/Oncology

In Pakistan 76.4% of all NHLs to be diagnosed as DLBCLs. The survival of R-CHOP is better compared to the DA-REPOCH treatment regimen. A prospective follow-up study was conducted with 113 patients to study the outcomes of treatment. Multivariable cox-proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratios in patients receiving these treatment regimens considering p-value ≤0.05 significant. The survival rate among double/triple expressor lymphoma patients received R-DA-EPOCH was 82.8%, and 83.3% received R-CHOP. For double/triple expressor lymphoma patients received R-DA-EPOCH. The findings of our study demonstrated that the survival rate in both R-CHOP and R-DA-EPOCH is mostly …

Rare Case Of Mediastinal Myeloid Sarcoma, Kanta Devi, Salman Adil, Natasha Bahadur Ali, Nasir Ali, Hammad Khan

Section of Haematology/Oncology

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare tumor mass with extra medullary growth pattern, composed of myeloblast or immature myeloid cells. Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a distinct clinical presentation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) where less than 1% of patients present with prominent extra medullary disease which most commonly involves the bone, skin, lymph node, soft tissues, gastrointestinal tract or testes. The recommended treatment regimen in isolated myeloid sarcoma or with bone marrow involvement is upfront systemic chemotherapy. We report a case of a young female with anterior mediastinal mass diagnosed as myeloid sarcoma which was refractory to chemotherapy.

Multi-Institutional Study Validates Safety Of Intraoperative Cesium-131 Brachytherapy For Treatment Of Recurrent Head And Neck Cancer, Adam J. Luginbuhl, Alyssa Calder, David Kutler, Chad Zender, Trisha Wise-Draper, Jena Patel, Michael Cheng, Vidhya Karivedu, Tingting Zhan, Bhupesh Parashar, Shuchi Gulati, Min Yao, Pierre Lavertu, Vinita Takiar, Alice Tang, Jennifer Johnson, William M. Keane, Joseph Curry, David Cognetti, Voichita Bar-Ad

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

Introduction: Surgery is the primary treatment for resectable, non-metastatic recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We explore the safety and oncologic benefit of intraoperative Cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy combined with salvage local and/or regional surgical resection.

Methods and materials: Findings were reported from a single arm multi-institutional prospective phase 1/2 trial involving surgery plus Cs-131 (surgery + Cs-131) treatment. The results of two retrospective cohorts-surgery alone and surgery plus intensity modulated radiation therapy (surgery + ReIMRT)-were also described. Included patients had recurrent HNSCC and radiation history. Safety, tumor re-occurrence, and survival were evaluated.

Results: Forty-nine patients were enrolled in …

Intracranial Mesenchymal Tumors With Fet-Creb Fusion Are Composed Of At Least Two Epigenetic Subgroups Distinct From Meningioma And Extracranial Sarcomas, Emily A. Sloan, Rohit Gupta, Christian Koelsche, Jason Chiang, Javier E. Villanueva-Meyer, Sanda Alexandrescu, Jennifer E. Eschbacher, Wesley Wang, Manuela Mafra, Nasir Ud Din

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Intracranial mesenchymal tumor, FET-CREB fusion-positive' occurs primarily in children and young adults and has previously been termed intracranial angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma (AFH) or intracranial myxoid mesenchymal tumor (IMMT). Here we performed genome-wide DNA methylation array profiling of 20 primary intracranial mesenchymal tumors with FET-CREB fusion to further study their ontology. These tumors resolved into two distinct epigenetic subgroups that were both divergent from all other analyzed intracranial neoplasms and soft tissue sarcomas, including meningioma, clear cell sarcoma of soft tissue (CCS), and AFH of extracranial soft tissue. The first subgroup (Group A, 16 tumors) clustered nearest to but independent of …

Enhancing Cancer Care Of Rural Dwellers Through Telehealth And Engagement (Encore): Protocol To Evaluate Effectiveness Of A Multi-Level Telehealth-Based Intervention To Improve Rural Cancer Care Delivery, Tuya Pal, Pamela C. Hull, Tatsuki Koyama, Phillip Lammers, Denise Martinez, Jacob Mcarthy, Emma Schremp, Ann Tezak, Anne Washburn, Jennifer G. Whisenant, Debra L. Friedman

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Despite lower cancer incidence rates, cancer mortality is higher among rural compared to urban dwellers. Patient, provider, and institutional level factors contribute to these disparities. The overarching objective of this study is to leverage the multidisciplinary, multispecialty oncology team from an academic cancer center in order to provide comprehensive cancer care at both the patient and provider levels in rural healthcare centers. Our specific aims are to: 1) evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a multi-level telehealth-based intervention consisting of provider access to molecular tumor board expertise along with patient access to a supportive care intervention to improve cancer care …

Class Imbalance In Out-Of-Distribution Datasets: Improving The Robustness Of The Textcnn For The Classification Of Rare Cancer Types, Kevin De Angeli, Shang Gao, Ioana Danciu, Eric B. Durbin, Xiao Cheng Wu, Antoinette Stroup, Jennifer Doherty, Stephen Schwartz, Charles Wiggins, Mark Damesyn, Linda Coyle, Lynne Penberthy, Georgia D. Tourassi, Hong Jun Yoon

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

In the last decade, the widespread adoption of electronic health record documentation has created huge opportunities for information mining. Natural language processing (NLP) techniques using machine and deep learning are becoming increasingly widespread for information extraction tasks from unstructured clinical notes. Disparities in performance when deploying machine learning models in the real world have recently received considerable attention. In the clinical NLP domain, the robustness of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for classifying cancer pathology reports under natural distribution shifts remains understudied. In this research, we aim to quantify and improve the performance of the CNN for text classification on out-of-distribution …

Nitrous Oxide Adaptation On Gene Expression In Breast Cancer Cells, Harsh Chheda, Estevan Ruiz Limón López, Zainab Mahmood, Ankit Sharma, Tina Tran, Uzma Abdulbaseer, Farouk Alshatti, James A. Radosevich

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Hypothesis and Objective: Genes participating in the notch signaling pathway are influenced by exposure to high nitrous oxide (HNO) levels. Notch signaling pathway genes are responsible for regulating cell fate, differentiation, and apoptosis. Dysregulation of these genes can contribute to tumorigenesis. Alterations in the expression of these genes in MCF7 breast cancer cells could help determine the effects of the notch signaling pathway on tumorigenesis as a result of exposure to nitrous oxide.

Methods: Samples of cDNA from MCF7 and MCF7-HNO cells were used in DNA microarray analysis. Qualifying genes of interest provided a p value < .05. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were defined and categorized using the Gene Oncology Uniprot (GO) Molecular Function database. These cells were further analyzed using a proprietary bioinformatics analysis created by our laboratory.

Results: Exposure to HNO …

Prognostic Values Of G-Protein Mutations In Metastatic Uveal Melanoma, Mizue Terai, Ayako Shimada, I Chervoneva, Liam Hulse, Meggie Danielson, Jeff Swensen, Marlana Orloff, Philip B Wedegaertner, Jeffrey L Benovic, A E Aplin, Takami Sato

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Uveal melanoma is the most common primary ocular malignancy in adults, characterized by gene mutations in G protein subunit alpha q (GNAQ) and G protein subunit alpha 11 (GNA11). Although they are considered to be driver mutations, their role in MUM remains elusive. We investigated key somatic mutations of MUM and their impact on patients’ survival after development of systemic metastasis (Met-to-Death). Metastatic lesions from 87 MUM patients were analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS). GNA11 (41/87) and GNAQ (39/87) mutations were most predominantly seen in MUM. Most GNA11 mutations were Q209L (36/41), whereas GNAQ mutations comprised Q209L (14/39) and …