Digital Commons Network^™

Autograft Enlargement After The Ross Procedure In Pediatric Patients: Somatic Growth Or Pathologic Dilatation?, Ioannis Zoupas, Alexander C Mills, Scott D Olson, Damien J Lapar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose of ReviewPulmonary autograft autotransplantation represents a popular surgical approach for pediatric patients requiring aortic valve replacement due to the potential for autograft enlargement to accommodate somatic growth. Nevertheless, autograft dilatation and the subsequent need for reintervention are quite common. Published data suggest that autograft enlargement may result from pathological passive remodeling rather than active somatic growth and vice versa. The present review serves to comprehensively evaluate available evidence related to the fate of the pulmonary autograft after the Ross procedure as it relates to the etiology, risk factors and patterns of autograft failure.ResultsStudies present conflicting results supporting both pathological …

Diet-Responsive Genetic Determinants Of Intestinal Colonization In The Yeast Candida Albicans, Musfirat Shubaita, Mazen Oneissi, Elena Lindemann-Pérez, Cecilia Fadhel Alvarez, Anne-Marie Krachler, Diana M Proctor, J Christian Pérez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dietary components influence microbial composition in the digestive tract. Although often viewed as energy sources, dietary components are likely to shape microbial determinants of intestinal colonization beyond metabolism. Here, we report that a dietary long-chain fatty acid enhances the yeast Candida albicans colonization of the murine gut partly by eliciting modifications to the fungal cell surface. Mice fed an oleic acid-rich diet were readily colonized by C. albicans and exhibited higher fungal load in feces compared with rodents fed an isocaloric control diet. Surprisingly, β-oxidation, a catabolic process to break down fatty acids for energy production, was dispensable for C. …

Understanding The Compatibility Of Fluoride-Based Radiopharmaceutical Reaction Solutions And Pdms, Mark Mc Veigh, Charles Frech, Mai Lin, Robert Ta, H Charles Manning, Leon M Bellan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Microfluidic devices offer unique and exciting benefits when applied to radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, and these platforms are now starting to be integrated into commercial products. The field has strayed away from the use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), the most common microfluidic device material, due to its suspected incompatibility with 18F, the most commonly used radionuclide. However, existing literature provides conflicting conclusions as to the existence and extent of this incompatibility. In this study, we use several analytical instruments to uncover the underlying interaction between fluoride and PDMS. SEM imaging and profilometry confirm the reactive relationship between the two materials and suggest that …

Muc13 Is A Crucial Player In Yap1-Β-Catenin Survival Complex Mediated Cancer Metastasis, Shabnam Malik, Mohammed Sikander, Murali Yallapu, Subhash Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Medulloblastoma Stem Cell Programs: Molecular Roadmaps Of Disease Progression, Jamie Zagozewski, Parthiv Haldipur, Kathleen J Millen, Tamra E Werbowetski-Ogilvie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Over the last decade, an unprecedented number of sequencing studies have characterized the molecular landscape of pediatric brain cancers, including the highly heterogeneous tumor medulloblastoma (MB). Extensive MB profiling has enabled a much deeper understanding of the primitive neurodevelopmental programs that are hijacked during tumor progression. However, we have yet to successfully target and fully eradicate the putative stem and early progenitor cells that drive MB tumorigenesis. This goal will require better human models that faithfully recapitulate oncogenic events, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms governing cell fate decisions in the primary and metastatic compartments, and comprehensive validation studies of …

Chiari Network Identified By Ct Imaging: An Uncommon Modality For A Common Incidental Finding, Kyle Admire, Denis Yusupov, Xian Qiao

Eastern Virginia Medical Journal

Chiari networks are anatomical variants that result from incomplete resorption of embryologic tissues and are often discovered incidentally on echocardiography. We describe the case of a large Chiari network we discovered after independent review of the patient’s computed tomography scan showed an unexpected filling defect within the right atrium, prompting further investigation. We also conducted a review of the literature for this anatomic variant of unclear clinical significance.

Disease Burden Of Asthma Patients Utilizing Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist-Only Inhalers As Rescue In The United States, Njira Lugogo, Rena C. Moon, Yen Chung, Joy David, Omar Motawakel, Ning A. Rosenthal, Neil Skolnik

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Purpose: We aimed to describe the disease burden of asthma and examine relationships between short-acting beta-2 agonist (SABA) use and asthma exacerbations. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study used geographically diverse Premier Healthcare Database (PHD) and linked insurance claims (10/01/2021-09/30/2022) for US patients aged ≥18 years with a SABA-only prescription and a history of asthma exacerbation within 12 months before index date (the earliest SABA prescription date). Three asthma control groups were defined based on SABA usage: well controlled-low (0–1 prescriptions), not well controlled-medium (2–3 prescriptions), very poorly controlled-high (≥4 prescriptions). Four asthma severity groups were defined using asthma …

Safety And Effectiveness Of Bolt-Mounted Versus Tunnelled External Ventricular Drains: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis And Trial-Sequential Analysis, Shaan Patel, Shiva A. Nischal, Ayush Sinha, Kush Kale, Pious D. Patel, Jack Jallo, Srinivas K. Prasad

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: External ventricular drains (EVDs) are fundamental to neurocritical care, yet substantial procedural heterogeneity persists, particularly regarding bolt-mounted versus tunnelled catheter fixation. The relative safety and effectiveness of these approaches remain unclear, with conflicting data from observational studies and a lack of trial-level evidence.

OBJECTIVE: To compare bolt-mounted and tunnelled EVDs across accuracy, reoperation, and key safety outcomes using systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial-sequential analysis.

METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL databases were searched (November 2025) for randomised or observational studies comparing bolt-mounted with tunnelled EVDs in adults. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk …

The Biomedical Landscape Of Genomic Structural Variation In The Qatari Population, Elbay Aliyev, Najeeb Syed, Alessia Visconti, Taghi Aliyev, Aziz Belkadi, Mohammadmersad Ghorbani, Niccolò Rossi, Haroon Naeem, Geethanjali Devadoss Gandhi, Gaurav Thareja, Aljazi Al-Maraghi, Waleed Aamer, Amal Abdulsalam Ibrahim, Rulan Shaath, Farooq Omar Al-Ajli, Rozaimi Mohamad Razali, Fritz J Sedlazeck, Sonia Davila, Ammira Akil, Karsten Suhre, Younes Mokrab, Mario Falchi, Khalid A Fakhro

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We present a large-scale study of structural variation (SV) in the Qatari population, based on short-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 6,141 individuals, identifying 153,946 variants across 5 classes reflecting the region's diversity and evolutionary history. Leveraging consanguinity and biobank phenotypes, we identify >180 putative gene knockouts, and use proteomics to show functional consequences in homozygotes. Conversely, 52 genes show significant depletion of homozygous deletions, eight of which cause severe pediatric disease or murine embryonic lethality. Examining phenotypic extremes uncovers several non-exonic homozygous deletions with large effect, including in SPIRE2 (creatinine), MAGI2 (leanness) and a chr19 microRNA cluster (extreme obesity). Further, …

Identifying Priority Research Questions For Decentralized Wastewater, Bryan W Brooks, Timothy Callahan, Jacob K Stanley, Jamie Holodak, Kevin M Stroski, Alissa H Cox, Thomas W Groves, Anish Jantrania, Jeff C Moeller, Kris Neset, Christopher Walker, Harry Zhang, Amal Bakchan, Kelly D Alley, Jim Bell, Allison Blodig, Eric Casey, Donna Cosper, Victor D'Amato, Mark A Elliott, Greg Graves, Roxanne Groover, Robert Himschoot, Mary G Lusk, Jillian Maxcy-Brown, David Meints, Rojelio Mejia, Matt Pace, Benjamin J Ryan, Brian Scheffe, Tom Schimelfenig, June E Wolfe, Sara F Heger

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse represent critical infrastructure across the rural-periurban-urban continuum around the world. Effective, efficient, resilient, and equitable implementation of on-premise technologies and management systems is part of a One Water approach and necessary to protect public health and the environment, yet inconsistent delivery of essential public health services persists in many regions, including across states, tribes, and territories of the United States. We initiated a groundbreaking effort to understand challenges and to identify research opportunities related to the science and practice of decentralized wastewater. A horizon scanning exercise using a bottom up and transparent key questions approach …

Genome-Wide Gene By Sleepiness Interaction Analysis For Sleep Apnea, Pavithra Nagarajan, Nuzulul Kurniansyah, Jiwon Lee, Sina A Gharib, Yushan Xu, Yiyan Zhang, Brian Spitzer, Tariq Faquih, Hufeng Zhou, Eric Boerwinkle, Han Chen, Daniel J Gottlieb, Xiuqing Guo, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Bertha A Hidalgo, Daniel Levy, Peter Y Liu, Hao Mei, Rebecca Montalvan, Sutapa Mukherjee, Kari E North, George T O'Connor, Lyle J Palmer, Sanjay R Patel, Bruce M Psaty, Shaun M Purcell, Laura M Raffield, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, Richa Saxena, Albert V Smith, Katie L Stone, Xiaofeng Zhu, Topmed Sleep Trait Working Group, Brian E Cade, Tamar Sofer, Susan Redline, Heming Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Study objectives: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), influenced by environmental and social-behavioral factors, is reported by a subset of patients with sleep apnea-a group that may be at elevated cardiovascular risk. However, it is unclear whether sleep apnea with and without EDS have distinct genetic underpinnings. In this study, we perform gene-by-EDS interaction analyses for apnea hypopnea index, a diagnostic marker of sleep apnea severity, to understand EDS's influence on its underlying genetic risk.

Methods: Discovery interaction analyses for common variants and gene-based rare variants were conducted respectively using multi-ethnic Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (N = 11 619) data, followed by …

Workflow Improvements From Automated Large Vessel Occlusion Detection Algorithms Are Dependent On Care Team Engagement, Emmanuel C Ebirim, Ngoc Mai Le, Joseph N Samaha, Hussain Azeem, Ananya Iyyangar, Anjan N Ballekere, Saagar Dhanjani, Luca Giancardo, Eunyoung Lee, Sunil A Sheth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Automated machine learning (ML)-based large vessel occlusion (LVO) detection algorithms have been shown to improve in-hospital workflow metrics including door-to-groin time (DTG). The degree to which care team engagement and interaction are required for these benefits remains incompletely characterized.

Methods: This analysis was conducted as a pre-planned post-hoc analysis of a randomized prospective clinical trial. ML-based LVO detection software was implemented at four comprehensive stroke centers (CSCs) from January 1, 2021, to February 27, 2022. Patients were included if they underwent endovascular thrombectomy for LVO acute ischemic stroke. ML software utilization was quantified as the total number of active …

Efficacy And Safety Of Oral Pcsk9 Inhibitor Enlicitide In Adults With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Christie M Ballantyne, Laura Gellis, Jean-Claude Tardif, Puja Banka, Ann Marie Navar, Emil Andreas Asprusten, Russell Scott, Erik S G Stroes, Samar Froman, Geraldine Mendizabal, Fan Wang, Alberico L Catapano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Persons with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) are at increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease due to lifelong elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Many patients with HeFH do not achieve guideline-recommended LDL-C goals with the currently available lipid-lowering therapies.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of enlicitide decanoate (an oral proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor) vs placebo in adults with HeFH requiring further lowering of LDL-C levels despite use of statin therapy.

Design, setting, and participants: This phase 3, randomized clinical trial included persons aged 18 years or older with HeFH currently using lipid-lowering therapy (taking at least …

High-Dose Oral Pyrophosphate Inhibits Connective Tissue Calcification In Abcc6 Null Mice But May Affect Bone Structure, Ibtesam Rajpar, Nicholas Yancy, Jacob Beiriger, Christina Shao, Syed Naqvi, Deana Mancuso, Fatemeh Niaziorimi, Ryan E Tomlinson, Koen Van De Wetering

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a rare inherited disorder marked by abnormal calcium phosphate deposition in soft connective tissues, particularly the skin, arteries, and eyes. It is caused by inactivating mutations in the ABCC6 gene, which encodes a hepatic efflux transporter. Loss of ABCC6 function leads to reduced plasma levels of pyrophosphate (PPi), a key inhibitor of calcification, thereby promoting ectopic mineralization. Oral PPi therapy has emerged as a potential treatment, but its effectiveness is uncertain. Most ingested PPi is hydrolyzed in the gut to inorganic phosphate, which may worsen calcification. Moreover, its impact on mineralized tissues remains largely unexplored. Abcc6−/− …

Fda Approval Of The Eversense 365 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System: A New Era In Long-Term Glucose Monitoring, Kiley Devoll, Alexander Defranco, Kennedy Kosikowski, Anna Spalvieri, Macy Davis, Connor Dains, Brenna Hissong, Emily Eddy

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Eversense 365 is an implantable continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system designed to provide accurate glucose measurements for up to 365 days. Current clinical guidelines recommend CGM use for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with evidence demonstrating benefit in patients with T2DM regardless of concurrent insulin use. Healthcare providers play a key role in patient education and are well-positioned to support the adoption of long-term CGM technologies, including Eversense 365. The safety and efficacy of the 365-day CGM have been evaluated across a series of clinical trials, which demonstrate clinically meaningful improvements in …

Alcohol And The Endocrine System: A Critical Review Of Disruptions, Potential Mechanisms, And Health Implications, Patricia E. Molina, Liz Simon

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

The endocrine system coordinates and integrates cellular activity throughout the body by regulating cellular and organ function and maintaining homeostasis. Homeostasis, the dynamic maintenance of internal balance despite changing external or internal conditions, is essential for proper cellular function. The endocrine system achieves this through a complex regulatory network of hormone-mediated signaling among multiple endocrine organs, relying on precisely regulated synthesis and release of hormones and specific hormone-receptor interactions. Endocrine-mediated actions coordinate critical physiological processes, including growth, metabolism, reproduction, stress adaptation, and circadian rhythms throughout the lifespan. Endocrine glands—such as the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid glands, pancreas, adrenal glands, and …

High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I And Frailty: Associations With The Frailty Index And Fried Phenotype In Older Women, Jedd Pratt, Abadi K. Gebre, Carlos J. Toro-Huamanchumo, Elsa Dent, Trent Bozanich, Wai E. Lim, Elizabeth Byrnes, Julee Mcdonagh, Caleb Ferguson, Craig Sale, Kun Zhu, Carl Schultz, Richard L. Prince, Joshua R. Lewis, Marc Sim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite the nexus between cardiovascular health and frailty, the relevance of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), a biomarker of myocardial injury, to frailty is poorly understood. We examined whether hs-cTnI concentrations were associated with frailty in a well-characterized cohort of older women. A total of 1151 community-dwelling women from the Perth Longitudinal Study of Aging Women (mean age ± SD = 75.2 ± 2.7 years) were included. Frailty was operationalized using a validated frailty index (FI) of cumulative deficits and a modified Fried phenotype. Plasma hs-cTnI were categorized into quartiles. Cross-sectional associations between hs-cTnI quartiles and frailty were assessed using …

Spatial Omics At The Forefront: Emerging Technologies, Analytical Innovations, And Clinical Applications, Yunhe Liu, Yibo Dai, Linghua Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spatial omics transforms our understanding of cancer by revealing how tumor cells and the microenvironment are organized, interact, and evolve within tissues. Here, we synthesize advances in spatial technologies that map tumor ecosystems with unprecedented fidelity. We highlighted analytical breakthroughs-including multimodal integration and emerging spatial foundation models-that resolve functional niches and spatial communities, converting spatial patterns into mechanistic insights. We summarize how spatially organized features, from immune hubs to microbiota and neural interfaces, shape tumor evolution and clinical outcomes. We then outline how spatial approaches illuminate precancer biology, metastatic adaptation, and therapy response. Bridging discovery and translation, we provide a …

Dynamic Fib-4 Score Changes And Hcc Risk In Patients With Masld And Elevated Liver Enzymes: A Nationwide Cohort Study, Yee Hui Yeo, Hsiu J Ho, Tsai-Wei Huang, Teng-Yu Lee, Ju Dong Yang, George Cholankeril, Chien-Jen Chen, Hawi-I Yang, Chuen-Fei Chen, Hung-Chuen Chang, Chun-Ying Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can develop in individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) without cirrhosis, especially in those with elevated liver enzymes. However, there is currently no low-cost, scalable screening tool for this population. To address this need, we investigated the association between serial changes in FIB-4 (fibrosis-4) scores over a 3-year period and the risk of developing HCC in a large, diverse cohort of patients with MASLD without cirrhosis.

Methods: This study utilized a nationwide cohort from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), including 810,698 patients with MASLD who had demographic and laboratory data at baseline …

Tumor-Infiltrating Bacteria Disrupt Cancer Epithelial Cell Interactions And Induce Cell-Cycle Arrest, Jorge Luis Galeano Niño, Falk Ponath, Victor A Ajisafe, Clara R Becker, Andrew G Kempchinsky, Martha A Zepeda-Rivera, Javier A Gomez, Hanrui Wu, Jessica G Terrazas, Heather Bouzek, Elizabeth Cromwell, Pritha Chanana, Matthew Wong, Ashish Damania, Michael G White, Y Nancy You, Scott Kopetz, Nadim J Ajami, Jennifer A Wargo, Christopher D Johnston, Susan Bullman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tumor-infiltrating bacteria are increasingly recognized as modulators of cancer progression and therapy resistance. We describe a mechanism by which extracellular intratumoral bacteria, including Fusobacterium, modulate cancer epithelial cell behavior. Spatial imaging and single-cell spatial transcriptomics show that these bacteria predominantly localize extracellularly within tumor microniches of colorectal and oral cancers, characterized by reduced cell density, transcriptional activity, and proliferation. In vitro, Fusobacterium nucleatum disrupts epithelial contacts, inducing G0-G1 arrest and transcriptional quiescence. This state confers 5-fluorouracil resistance and remodels the tumor microenvironment. Findings were validated by live-cell imaging, spatial profiling, mouse models, and a 52-patient colorectal cancer cohort. Transcriptomics reveals …

Chek2 Loss Endows Chemotherapy Resistance To Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Jing Zhou, Tianyuan Hu, Dian Li, Sanming Li, Minhua Li, Xiangguo Shi, Daisuke Nakada

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Individuals with history of chemo- or radiotherapy frequently exhibit somatic mosaicism in the blood, often involving mutations in genes responsible for DNA damage responses (DDR), such as CHEK2. However, the mechanisms by which CHEK2 mutations promote the expansion of mutant cells following chemo- or radiotherapy remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that loss of CHEK2 confers resistance to chemotherapy in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Through a CRISPR-based screen, we identified CHEK2 as a gene whose loss enhances resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapies. A complementary drug screen revealed that CHEK2-mutant cells are also resistant to DNA hypomethylating agents. Chek2-deficient HSPCs …

A Case Of Listeria Monocytogenes Bacteremia In A Middle-Aged Woman With A History Of Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Caleb Smack, Jared T. Lausen, Aaron Mills

Eastern Virginia Medical Journal

In this report, we discuss the case of a patient with Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia likely resulting from primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) induced cirrhosis. We aim to bolster the body of literature on Listeria bacteremia and establish PBC as a risk factor for this rare complication. Our patient, who presented with sepsis, was subsequently found to have Listeria bacteremia and received intravenous antibiotic treatment of ampicillin for 3 total weeks with complete resolution of her disease. This is the first case suggesting that cirrhosis as a result of PBC may be an independent risk factor for Listeria bacteremia. In patients at …

Blood Product Transfusion And Coagulopathy In Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Narrative Review., Robert Marcel T. Huibonhoa, Niranjan Vijayakumar, Daniel Kelly, Oliver Karam, Madhuradhar Chegondi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of critical illness and mortality in children. Transfusion of blood products, a common intervention in the management of pediatric TBI, has important implications for related principles, including trauma-induced coagulopathy, cerebral perfusion, and cerebral oxygen delivery. Knowledge gaps persist due to the limited availability of pediatric-specific data regarding blood product transfusion in TBI. In particular, there is a lack of prospective studies defining appropriate specific laboratory thresholds and transfusion targets, as well as insufficient evidence to guide the weighing of potential benefits against transfusion-related risks in this population. Although blood product transfusion in …

Policy, Misinformation, And Mortality: The Effects Of Abortion Restrictions On Maternal Outcomes, Gabrielle Samiratedu Dmsc, Mcms, Pa-C

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

The objective of this review is to evaluate the effects of restrictive abortion laws on maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States. Even before the landmark reversal of Roe v. Wade, the US had one of the highest maternal mortality rates among other high-income countries, and rates are expected to continue to rise in states with restrictive abortion policies. Electronic databases and public health data were analyzed to assess clinical outcomes, access to care, and disparities associated with abortion restrictions nationally and internationally. The findings suggest that states with highly restrictive abortion policies experience higher rates of maternal morbidity …

Circulating Tumor Dna: Reducing Burden In Hpv+ Oropharyngeal Cancer Surveillance, Liza M. Joseph Pa-C

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

This review examines the rising prevalence of human papillomavirus-related (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and evaluates the role of circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) in diagnosis and post-treatment surveillance. A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, identified studies that validated ctHPVDNA as a biomarker with high sensitivity and specificity, assessed its cost-effectiveness, and explored patient and provider perceptions. Clinical evidence supports that plasma-based ctHPVDNA is the most accurate method for detecting disease recurrence and quantifying tumor burden. Patient perception studies reported high confidence in ctHPVDNA testing, while providers viewed it as …

Grover's Disease: A Review Of The Current Treatment Options, Dustin Ross, Dmsc, Mph, Pa-C

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

Grover’s disease, also known as transient acantholytic dermatosis, is an uncommon dermatologic condition characterized by pruritic papulovesicular eruptions that predominantly affect the trunk of older adults. Although the disease is often self-limited, it may significantly impair quality of life. This review summarizes treatment options and emerging therapies for Grover’s disease reported in the literature since 2019. A comprehensive search of PubMed and MEDLINE identified 1,068 records, of which thirteen publications met inclusion criteria, including one systematic review, one narrative review, one nonrandomized controlled study, nine case reports, and one fact sheet, representing a total of 337 patients. The literature demonstrates …

Flipi24: A Modern Prognostic Model And Clinical Trial Enrichment Tool For Newly Diagnosed Follicular Lymphoma, Matthew J Maurer, Vit K Prochazka, Tarec Christoffer El-Galaly, Christopher R Flowers, Diego Villa, Emmanuel Bachy, Elliot J Cahn, Marguerite Fournier, Melissa C Larson, Caroline E Dietrich, Lasse Hjort Jakobsen, Hervé Ghesquières, Robert Kridel, Maher K Gandhi, Chan Y Cheah, Eliza A Hawkes, John F Seymour, Ciara L Freeman, Michael R Clausen, Björn E Wahlin, Jonathan W Friedberg, Carla Casulo, Thomas M Habermann, Yucai Wang, Loretta J Nastoupil, Peter De Nully Brown, David Belada, Andrea Janíková, Heidi Mocikova, Tomáš Fürst, Pierre Feugier, Hervé Tilly, Corinne Haioun, Andrew J Davies, Guillaume Cartron, Richard Burack, Dai Chihara, Peter Martin, Jonathon B Cohen, Izidore S Lossos, Brad S Kahl, Laurie H Sehn, Karin E Smedby, Gilles Salles, Marek Trneny, Brian K Link, Franck Morschhauser, James R Cerhan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Although most patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) can expect an indolent course, progressive lymphoma remains the primary cause of death during the first decade after diagnosis. Progression of disease within 24 months (POD24) of starting first-line (1L) immunochemotherapy defines a high-risk population with poor survival, but better risk stratification at diagnosis is needed.

Methods: The FLIPI24 model was developed and internally validated to predict 24-month event rates using individual data from 4,485 patients treated with 1L immunochemotherapy from 10 observational cohorts of FL. Overall and cause-specific survival was further evaluated in FLIPI24 risk groups. External validation in the 1L …

Proton Versus Photon Radiotherapy For Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer In The Usa: A Multicentre, Randomised, Open-Label, Non-Inferiority Phase 3 Trial, Steven J Frank, Paul M Busse, J Jack Lee, David I Rosenthal, Mike Hernandez, David M Swanson, Adam S Garden, G Brandon Gunn, Samir H Patel, James W Snider, Daniel J Ma, Jason K Molitoris, Nancy Y Lee, Upendra Parvathaneni, Mark W Mcdonald, Noah S Kalman, Alexander Lin, Nasiruddin Mohammed, Christina Henson, Christian Hyde, Gopal K Bajaj, Sanford R Katz, Roi Dagan, William H Morrison, Jay P Reddy, C David Fuller, Shalin J Shah, Jack Phan, Gregory M Chronowski, Lauren Mayo, Erich M Sturgis, Renata Ferrarotto, Xiaorong R Zhu, Xiaodong Zhang, Li Wang, Katherine A Hutcheson, Adel K El-Naggar, Amy C Moreno, Anna Lee, Michael T Spiotto, Neil D Gross, Stephen Y Lai, Jay J Liao, Jonathan Paly, Zhongxing Liao, Robert L Foote

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Radiotherapy is an integral component of treatment for oropharyngeal cancer. Toxicity from the current state-of-the-art photon radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), has prompted the search for alternative, less toxic therapies. One such alternative that might de-intensify treatment is proton therapy. In this trial, we aimed to directly compare IMRT with intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT), both concurrent with systemic therapy, hypothesising comparable disease control and survival and lower toxicity.

Methods: This randomised, multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial was conducted in 21 sites (cancer centres or universities) in the USA. Patients (aged ≥18 years) with stage III or stage IV …

Identification Of Cadm1 As An Immunotherapeutic Target And Evaluation Of A Novel Cadm1-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugate In Preclinical Osteosarcoma Models, Yifei Wang, Zhongting Zhang, Caterina Longo, Wendong Zhang, Qi Wang, Amer Najjar, Xiangjun Tian, Rossana N Lazcano Segura, Michael E Roth, Jonathan Gill, Douglas J Harrison, Zhaohui Xu, Yanhua Yi, Xin Zhou, Sylvester Jusu, Timothy M Stearns, Steven B Neuhauser, Carol J Bult, Jing Wang, Alexander J Lazar, Richard Gorlick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Due to the paucity of validated cell surface osteosarcoma-specific targets, patients with this condition have long been excluded from the benefits of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy observed in patients with several solid and hematologic malignancies. Our comprehensive surfaceome profiling approach previously identified osteosarcoma-specific cell-surface antigens that are highly expressed in osteosarcomas but minimally expressed in normal tissues. As a result, one such antigen, CADM1, was selected for the generation of an ADC. We tested a CADM1-targeting ADC with a tesirine payload (SG3249) in vitro in osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and neuroblastoma patient-derived xenograft cell lines. In vivo, we tested six CADM1-expressing osteosarcoma …

Prognostic Value Of Baseline Qfr In Single-Vessel Intermediate Coronary Stenosis, Yanfeng Lu, Abdulrahman Alqazzaz, Jasmine Bao, Gary S. Mintz, Jiahao Feng, Yong Zhang, Shanshan Gao, Qiang Song, Feifei Ning, Xin Huang, Ning Guo

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prognostic value of baseline Quantitative Flow Ratio (QFR) in real-world patients remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of baseline QFR and its three-tier model-low, grey-zone, and high QFR-in patients with single-vessel intermediate stenosis.

METHODS: This retrospective study included 478 patients with QFR between 0.70 and 0.90 who underwent coronary angiography between May and June 2023. Patients were stratified into Low (0.70-0.74), Grey-Zone (0.75-0.85), and High (0.86-0.90) QFR groups. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE); the key secondary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF). Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models …