Neoplasms Commons^™

Bronchial Carcinoid Presenting As Multiple Lung Abscesses, Zeeshan Waheed, Muhammad Irfan, Saulat Fatimi, Ruqaiya Shahid

Saulat Fatimi

Bronchial carcinoid tumours is a rare group of pulmonary malignant neoplasm that is derived from neuroendocrine system. Bronchial carcinoid usually present with hilar masses, atelactasis, bronchiectasis, or post-obstructive pneumonia. This case describes a very unusual presentation of bronchial carcinoid tumour with multiple lung abscesses involving the whole lung. This report is of an adult lady who presented with multiple lung abscesses involving her whole of the right lung. She was found to have an endo-bronchial lesion in her right main bronchus which eventually turned out to be carcinoid tumour. She responded to resection and antibiotic therapy.

Cognitive Issues In Childhood Cancer Survivors And Related Parental Perceptions And Behaviors: An Integrative Review Of Literature, Brian Decant, Joseph Tariman

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Background: Survivorship of childhood cancer is often accompanied by neurocognitive late-effects (NCLE) related to the disease and/or it’s associated treatment regimes.

Objectives: The primary purpose of this integrative literature review was to examine NCLE in pediatric cancer survivors and identify parental perceptions and behaviors that correlated to cognitive dysfunction in their children.

Method: An integrative literature review was completed utilizing searches in PubMed, CINAHL Complete, and PsycINFO. Some search terms included “childhood cancer”, “survivor”, “cognition”, “cognitive disorder”, “neurocognitive”, “late-effects”, “child(ren)”, “parent(s)”, and “perception”.

Results: Analysis of ten predominant methods of neurocognitive evaluation yielded five major cognitive ...

Developing A Peer Cancer Support Group Evaluation, Glenda Kith

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction: For many years, health care organizations have offered peer cancer support groups to cancer survivors, but peer cancer support group evaluation is not standardized. Without a clear and consistent evaluation, it may be difficult to understand the efficacy of and gain support for peer cancer support groups. In this paper, I discuss how an evaluation was created for a peer cancer support group called Cancer Awareness Resource and Education (CARE).

Methods: In-depth interviews with CARE participants were conducted and pre-survey and a post-survey were developed. The in-depth interviews included a convenience sample of eight individuals, two individuals from the ...

Multiple Myeloma Baseline Immunoglobulin G Level And Pneumococcal Vaccination Antibody Response, Michael A. Thompson, Martin K. Oaks, Maharaj Singh, Karen M. Michel, Michael P. Mullane, Husam S. Tarawneh, Angi Kraut, Kayla J. Hamm

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in multiple myeloma (MM), a cancer of the immune system. Vaccination clinical efficacy endpoints have not been demonstrated, and there are limited data on surrogate markers of efficacy. This pilot study evaluated sequential immunologic markers after standard pneumococcal vaccination (PV) in patients with MM and non-MM controls. Vaccination was standard for PV (PCV13 or PPV23), with laboratory testing at baseline and at 2, 4, 12 and 24 weeks after vaccination. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to pneumococcal antigens were detected by ELISA. Prevaccination total IgG levels and IgG subclass levels were also ...

Computational Drug Design: A Multitargeted Approach In Bladder Cancer, Travis C. Lantz, Joydeb Majumder, Gaurav Chopra

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Cancer is a complex, robust disease with multiple redundant disease pathways which lead to tumor development, growth, and eventually even death. Despite known redundancies, cancer therapeutics continue to be developed against a single protein target. Initial disease regression occurs followed by relapse in a drug resistant disease state. In response, combinational drug clinical trial targeting multiple pathways began, and have failed due to increased toxicity caused by adverse drug interactions. Development of a single drug that differentially targets multiple disease pathways will result in a more potent therapeutic while inducing minimal toxicity. This was done computationally through in-lab software packages ...

Metabolic Regulation Of Cellular Signaling, Rashid John Darbandi

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Using the biochemically tractable Xenopus oocyte model system, we have previously characterized a novel metabolic regulation of cell death. We found that glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) via the pentose phosphate pathway leads to increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) levels, a subsequent increase in cytosolic acetyl-coenzyme A and activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). We recently identified coenzyme A (CoA), derived from the breakdown of acetyl-CoA, as the key metabolic signal that mediates a novel mechanism of calmodulindependent activation of CaMKII. CoA binds directly to the calmodulin (CaM) binding domain (CaMBD) of CaMKII resulting in its activation and downstream inhibitory ...

Mechanisms Underlying Chemotherapy-Induced Vascular Proliferation In Ovarian Cancer, Zeynep Gülsüm Kahramanoğlu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of gynecological cancer-related death in Canadian women. Ovarian cancer is managed through surgical cytoreduction and carboplatin-based chemotherapy. Unfortunately, most patients often relapse or have reduced responses to initial chemotherapy. The mechanisms behind carboplatin resistance are poorly understood. In pilot studies, our group has observed vascular proliferation in patient samples following carboplatin treatment. The effectiveness of modulating neovascularization in combination with carboplatin has also been demonstrated in two large Phase 3 trials. In this study, I explore the underlying mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced vascular proliferation and potentially, tumour cell survival. I hypothesize that carboplatin induces angiogenic ...

Cancer Prevention And Screening, James Liebmann

Cancer Concepts: A Guidebook for the Non-Oncologist

Current treatments of cancer are imperfect and entail risks. For many malignancies, the best “treatment” is to prevent the cancer from ever appearing in the first place. Cancer prevention refers to interventions that reduce the incidence of cancer. Such interventions can include reduction of exposure to known carcinogens (e.g., tobacco), treatment with drugs that lower cancer risk (chemoprevention), vaccination against infectious agents that cause cancer, surgery to remove organs at high risk of developing cancer in individuals with familial cancer syndromes, or the adoption of a “healthy lifestyle” that modifies cancer risk. Cancer screening shares some concepts with cancer ...

Managing Renal Cell Carcinoma Associated Paraneoplastic Syndrome With Nephron-Sparing Surgery In A Patient With Von Hippel-Lindau., John M Dibianco, Julie Y An, Sally Tanakchi, Zachary Stanik, Aidan Mcgowan, Mahir Maruf, Abhinav Sidana, Amit Lodha Jain, Akhil Muthigi, Arvin K George, Christopher Bayne, W Marston Linehan, Shawna L Boyle, Adam R Metwalli

Urology Faculty Publications

A patient with germline von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene alteration and history of multiple tumors present with classical paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) associated with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). She underwent open nephron sparing surgery with resolution of symptoms. She remained without recurrence of RCC for the initial 2 years of her follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this case represents the first in which PNS was specifically resolved using a partial nephrectomy in a patient with VHL. This case report provides initial evidence for the potential role of nephron sparing surgery in the management of paraneoplastic symptoms associated with hereditary RCC.

Alternative Splicing Promotes Tumour Aggressiveness And Drug Resistance In African American Prostate Cancer., Bi-Dar Wang, Kristin Ceniccola, Sujin Hwang, Ramez Andrawis, Anelia Horvath, Jennifer A Freedman, Jacqueline Olender, Stefan Knapp, Travers Ching, Lana Garmire, Vyomesh Patel, Mariano A Garcia-Blanco, Steven R Patierno, Norman H Lee

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

linical challenges exist in reducing prostate cancer (PCa) disparities. The RNA splicing landscape of PCa across racial populations has not been fully explored as a potential molecular mechanism contributing to race-related tumour aggressiveness. Here, we identify novel genome-wide, race-specific RNA splicing events as critical drivers of PCa aggressiveness and therapeutic resistance in African American (AA) men. AA-enriched splice variants of PIK3CD, FGFR3, TSC2 and RASGRP2 contribute to greater oncogenic potential compared with corresponding European American (EA)-expressing variants. Ectopic overexpression of the newly cloned AA-enriched variant, PIK3CD-S, in EA PCa cell lines enhances AKT/mTOR signalling and increases proliferative and ...

Reducing The Rate Of Late Stage Breast Cancer Through Effective Health Communication: An Opinion Piece, Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Health and illness are traditionally characterized and treated differently across various ethnic groups, which encourages American health systems serving these diverse populations to explore culturally competent and safe ways to effectively reduce illness within such populations. Certain ethnic groups of women in the United States (US) bear greater risk of late stage breast cancer because of various circumstances, which include but are not limited to a lack of insurance or underinsurance and discomfort with and/or resentment toward the US healthcare system. The dominant culture and the social aspects of the modern American health system often and most favorably ...

African-American Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Expression Profile Reveals Dysregulation Of Stress Response And Detox Networks., Hayriye Verda Erkizan, Kory Johnson, Svetlana Ghimbovschi, Deepa Karkera, Gregory Trachiotis, Houtan Adib, Eric P Hoffman, Robert G Wadleigh

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Esophageal carcinoma is the third most common gastrointestinal malignancy worldwide and is largely unresponsive to therapy. African-Americans have an increased risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the subtype that shows marked variation in geographic frequency. The molecular architecture of African-American ESCC is still poorly understood. It is unclear why African-American ESCC is more aggressive and the survival rate in these patients is worse than those of other ethnic groups.

METHODS: To begin to define genetic alterations that occur in African-American ESCC we conducted microarray expression profiling in pairs of esophageal squamous cell tumors and matched control tissues.

RESULTS ...

Dermatomyositis As Paraneoplastic Manifestation Of Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Jatinder S. Patti, Kate Daniello, Lan Qin

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

OBJECTIVE: Discussion of a rare case of dermatomyositis associated with tonsillar neoplasm in an African American woman.

BACKGROUND: Dermatomyositis is a syndrome of inflamatory myopathy with multiorgan manifestations which has been linked to immune dysregulation and neoplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Many studies have shown five to seven fold increased risk of developing malignancy with dermatomyositis within two years of presentation. Most common cancers reported are adenocarcinomas of lung, breast, ovaries, stomach, pancreas and bladder. Dermatomyositis as a paraneoplastic manifestation of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma has not previously been described.

DESIGN: This is a case report of a 52 year old woman who ...

Video Capsule Endoscopy In Patients With Muir-Torre Syndrome, Erik Holzwanger, Yasir Al-Azzawi, David R. Cave

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Introduction: Muir-Torre Syndrome (MTS) is a rare, primarily autosomal dominant disorder that is distinguished by having sebaceous skin malignancies in addition to visceral malignancies. The most common form of MTS is a variant of HNPCC. Our aim is to demonstrate the utilization of VCE in patients with MTS as the first line screening method.

Methods: Single center, retrospective chart review study of outpatients with MTS who underwent a video capsule endoscopy study between January 2006 and January 2016.

Results: Four patients, all women and mean age of 57 years old, with MTS underwent a video capsule endoscopy at our institution ...

Combination Photodynamic Therapy And Chemotherapy For Temozolomide-Resistant Glioblastoma, Janel Kydd, Rahul Jadia, Prakash Rai

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Polymer based nanoparticles (NPs) are useful vehicles for drug therapy in treating glioblastoma because of their ideal characteristics such as small size, to cross the blood-brain barrier, and bind to overexpressed transferrin receptors via peptide conjugation and surface modification of NPs. The use of a photosensitizer drug such as verteporfin, or BPD, in combination with a repurposed drug, Cediranib (CED), prepared as a nanoparticle therapy will provide the medical field with new research on the possible ways to treat glioblastoma. BPD-CED-loaded NPs have the potential to induce cytotoxicity in glioblastoma cells by 1) remotely triggering BPD through photodynamic therapy by ...

Cancer Diagnosis Using Libs And Machine Learning Tools: Progress And Challenges, Noureddine Melikechi, Rosalba Gaudiuso, Ebo Ewusi-Annan

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Despite numerous research and development efforts that provide important tools to fight cancer, this disease still poses great challenges to diagnosis and treatment, and it remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis is crucial to increase the survival rate and quality of life of cancer patients. Thus, developing non-invasive screening methods would represent a key step towards point-of-care large scale screening and prevention of asymptomatic tumors such as Epithelian Ovarian Cancer (EOC) and others. Our group has developed two experimental strategies to pursue early cancer diagnosis through Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), a versatile atomic spectroscopy technique ...

Enhancement Of The Abscopal Effect In Radiotherapy By In-Situ Delivered Cd40 Antibody: Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Model, Sayeda Yasmin-Karim, Michele Moreau, Wilfred Ngwa

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Metastasis is the cause of death in most cancers. It has been observed by Mole and others that radiotherapy at one site may lead to regression of metastatic cancer at other sites, which were not irradiated, this phenomenon is called ‘abscopal’ effect. Unfortunately, this regression is not predictable.

Few studies observed some enhancement by systemic application of immunoadjuvants, which also has limited application because of generalized adverse effect. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the enhancing and abscopal effect of radiotherapy by in-situ delivered anti-CD40 in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

A syngeneic mouse model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma ...

Trends In Cause Of Death Among Puerto Rican And United States Multiple Myeloma Patients, Maira Castaneda-Avila, K. J. Ortiz-Ortiz, C. R. Torres-Cintrón, Mara M. Epstein

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Background/Objective: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable, yet treatable, cancer of plasma cells. Due to recent improvements in treatment, people diagnosed with MM have been living longer, and other co-morbid conditions may be of increasing importance. This study examines temporal trends in specific causes of death among MM patients in Puerto Rico (PR) and United States (US).

Methods: We analyzed primary cause of death among all incident MM cancer cases recorded in the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry (PRCCR) (n=3,018) and the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) (n=67,733) between 1987-2013, overall and ...

Black-White Disparities In Pain Management Among Nursing Home Residents With Cancer, Deborah Mack, Jacob N. Hunnicutt, William M. Jesdale, Christine M. Ulbricht, Kate L. Lapane

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Background: Racial disparities in pain management persist across healthcare settings and likely extend into nursing homes. No studies to-date have thoroughly evaluated racial disparities in cancer pain management in this setting.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we compared reported pain and pharmacological pain management between non-Hispanic White and Black newly admitted nursing home residents with cancer (n=113,765) using the Minimum Data Set version 3.0. Pain management strategies considered included: use of scheduled analgesics, pro re nata analgesics, and non-pharmacological methods. Presence of pain was based on self-report when residents were able to, or by staff. Logistic ...

Utilizing Mucosal Protrusion Angles To Discriminate Between True And False Masses Of The Small Bowel On Video Capsule Endoscopy, Michael G. Noujaim, May Min, David R. Cave

UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

Background: Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has significantly improved our ability to detect small bowel tumors. However, diagnosing small bowel tumors has remained a challenge due to their low incidence, nonspecific presentations, and the inability to use VCE to biopsy lesions identified during passage through the small bowel. To address this challenge, Girelli et al. developed a novel scoring system called the “smooth, protruding lesions index at capsule endoscopy” (SPICE) to distinguish true submucosal masses from innocent bulges¹. In our study, we compared the utility of an additional morphologic criterion, the mucosal protrusion angle, with SPICE scores in detecting true ...