Digital Commons Network^™

Defining Spine Cancer Pain Syndromes: A Systematic Review And Proposed Terminology, Markian Pahuta, Ilya Laufer, Sheng-Fu Larry Lo, Stefano Boriani, Charles Fisher, Nicolas Dea, Michael H Weber, Dean Chou, Arjun Sahgal, Laurence Rhines, Jeremy Reynolds, Aron Lazary, Alessandro Gasbarrinni, Jorrit-Jan Verlaan, Ziya Gokaslan, Chetan Bettegowda, Mohamed Sarraj, Ori Barzilai, Ao Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Formalized terminology for pain experienced by spine cancer patients is lacking. The common descriptors of spine cancer pain as mechanical or non-mechanical is not exhaustive. Misdiagnosed spinal pain may lead to ineffective treatment recommendations for cancer patients.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of pain terminology that may be relevant to spinal oncology patients. We provide a comprehensive and unbiased summary of the existing evidence, not limited to the spine surgery literature, and subsequently consolidate these data into a practical, clinically relevant nomenclature for spine oncologists.

RESULTS: Our literature search identified 3515 unique citations. Through …

The Influence Of The Microbiome On Radiotherapy And Dna Damage Responses, Aadil Sheikh, Michael A Curran

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in terms of diagnosis and mortality. Radiotherapy (RT) remains a mainstay of CRC therapy. As RT relies on DNA damage to promote tumor cell death, the activity of cellular DNA damage repair pathways can modulate cancer sensitivity to therapy. The gut microbiome has been shown to influence intestinal health and is independently associated with CRC development, treatment responses and outcomes. The microbiome can also modulate responses to CRC RT through various mechanisms such as community structure, toxins and metabolites. In this review we explore the use of RT in the …

Overview Of The Head And Neck Tumor Segmentation For Magnetic Resonance Guided Applications (Hnts-Mrg) 2024 Challenge, Kareem A Wahid, Cem Dede, Dina M El-Habashy, Serageldin Kamel, Michael K Rooney, Yomna Khamis, Moamen R A Abdelaal, Sara Ahmed, Kelsey L Corrigan, Enoch Chang, Stephanie O Dudzinski, Travis C Salzillo, Brigid A Mcdonald, Samuel L Mulder, Lucas Mccullum, Qusai Alakayleh, Carlos Sjogreen, Renjie He, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Stephen Y Lai, John P Christodouleas, Andrew J Schaefer, Mohamed A Naser, Clifton D Fuller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Magnetic resonance (MR)-guided radiation therapy (RT) is enhancing head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment through superior soft tissue contrast and longitudinal imaging capabilities. However, manual tumor segmentation remains a significant challenge, spurring interest in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven automation. To accelerate innovation in this field, we present the Head and Neck Tumor Segmentation for MR-Guided Applications (HNTS-MRG) 2024 Challenge, a satellite event of the 27th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention. This challenge addresses the scarcity of large, publicly available AI-ready adaptive RT datasets in HNC and explores the potential of incorporating multi-timepoint data to enhance RT …

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Management And Research In 2025, Hagop M Kantarjian, Courtney D Dinardo, Tapan M Kadia, Naval G Daver, Jessica K Altman, Eytan M Stein, Elias Jabbour, Charles A Schiffer, Amy Lang, Farhad Ravandi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The first 5 decades of research in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were dominated by the cytarabine plus anthracyclines backbone, with advances in strategies including allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, high-dose cytarabine, supportive care measures, and targeted therapies for the subset of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Since 2017, a turning point in AML research, 12 agents have received regulatory approval for AML in the United States: venetoclax (BCL2 inhibitor); gemtuzumab ozogamicin (CD33 antibody-drug conjugate); midostaurin, gilteritinib, and quizartinib (fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 inhibitors); ivosidenib, olutasidenib, and enasidenib (isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 inhibitors); oral azacitidine (a partially absorbable formulation); CPX351 …

Exercise And Nutrition To Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (Enicto), Kathryn H Schmitz, Justin C Brown, Melinda L Irwin, Kim Robien, Jessica M Scott, Nathan A Berger, Bette Caan, Andrea Cercek, Tracy E Crane, Scott R Evans, Jennifer A Ligibel, Jeffrey A Meyerhardt, Tanya Agurs-Collins, Karen Basen-Engquist, Jennifer W Bea, Sheng F Cai, Brenda Cartmel, Vernon M Chinchilli, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Christina M Dieli-Conwright, Loretta Dipietro, Shawna E Doerksen, Sharon L Edelstein, Joanne Elena, William Evans, Leah M Ferrucci, Julia Foldi, Sarah Freylersythe, Helena Furberg, Lee W Jones, Ross Levine, Chaya S Moskowitz, Cynthia Owusu, Frank Penedo, Borsika A Rabin, Elena Ratner, Margaret Rosenzweig, Talya Salz, Tara Sanft, Matthew Schlumbrecht, Guillaume Spielmann, Cynthia A Thomson, Ashley H Tjaden, Martin R Weiser, Shengping Yang, Anthony F Yu, Frank M Perna, Enicto Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chemotherapy treatment-related side effects are common and increase the risk of suboptimal outcomes. Exercise interventions during cancer treatment improve self-reported physical functioning, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, but it is unclear whether these interventions improve important clinical outcomes, such as chemotherapy relative dose intensity. The National Cancer Institute funded the Exercise and Nutrition to Improve Cancer Treatment-Related Outcomes (ENICTO) Consortium to address this knowledge gap. This article describes the mechanisms hypothesized to underpin intervention effects on clinically relevant treatment outcomes, briefly outlines each project's distinct research aims, summarizes the scope and organizational structure of ENICTO, and provides an overview of the …

Three-Dimensional Deep Learning Normal Tissue Complication Probability Model To Predict Late Xerostomia In Patients With Head And Neck Cancer, Hung Chu, Suzanne P M De Vette, Hendrike Neh, Nanna M Sijtsema, Roel J H M Steenbakkers, Amy Moreno, Johannes A Langendijk, Peter M A Van Ooijen, Clifton D Fuller, Lisanne V Van Dijk

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Conventional normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models for patients with head and neck cancer are typically based on single-value variables, which, for radiation-induced xerostomia, are baseline xerostomia and mean salivary gland doses. This study aimed to improve the prediction of late xerostomia by using 3-dimensional information from radiation dose distributions, computed tomography imaging, organ-at-risk segmentations, and clinical variables with deep learning (DL).

Methods and materials: An international cohort of 1208 patients with head and neck cancer from 2 institutes was used to train and twice validate DL models (deep convolutional neural network, EfficientNet-v2, and ResNet) with 3-dimensional dose distribution, …

Anti-Cd137 Agonist Antibody-Independent And Clinically Feasible Preparation Of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes From Soft Tissue Sarcoma And Osteosarcoma, Yining Jin, Zhiliang Jia, Xueqing Xia, Nancy B Gordon, Joseph A Ludwig, Neeta Somaiah, Shulin Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) therapy has been proved for treatment of metastatic melanoma and is under investigation for other types of solid tumors. However, these successes are threatened by discontinued supply of GMP-grade anti-CD137 agonist, a key TIL preparation reagent. Therefore, exploring a GMP-adherent method for expanding endogenous TILs without anti-CD137 agonist is urgent. Toward this end, we aimed to establish an anti-CD137-independent and clinically feasible TIL expansion protocol to prepare TILs from under investigated sarcoma tumors.

Methods: We collected resected tumors from patients and cut tissues into fragments. We used IL-2 and T-cell activator CD3/CD28 without anti-CD137 agonist …

18 Kda Translocator Protein (Tspo) Is Upregulated In Rat Brain After Peripheral Nerve Injury And Downregulated By Diroximel Fumarate, Rafael A Cazuza, Sever M Zagrai, Anamaria R Grieco, Thomas D Avery, Andrew D Abell, Hsiao-Ying Wey, Marco L Loggia, Peter M Grace

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neuroimmune signaling is a key process underlying neuropathic pain. Clinical studies have demonstrated that 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), a putative marker of neuroinflammation, is upregulated in discrete brain regions of patients with chronic pain. However, no preclinical studies have investigated TSPO dynamics in the brain in the context of neuropathic pain and in response to analgesic treatments. We used positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and [18F]-PBR06 radioligand to measure TSPO levels in the brain across time after chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in both male and female rats. Up to 10 weeks post-CCI, TSPO expression was …

Outcomes Of Patients Treated With Chemotherapy For Breast Cancer During Pregnancy Compared With Nonpregnant Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Systemic Therapy, Helen M Johnson, Juhee Song, Carla L Warneke, Ashley L Martinez, Jennifer K Litton, Oluchi C Oke

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Prior studies of patients treated for breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC) report mixed outcomes and are limited by substandard treatment, small cohorts, and short follow-up. This study compared survival outcomes of PrBC patients treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy with nonpregnant patients matched by age, year of diagnosis, stage, and subtype.

Methods: PrBC patients treated from 1989 to 2022 on prospective institutional protocols were eligible. Disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results: Among 143 PrBC and 285 nonpregnant patients, median follow-up was 11.4 years. …

Outcomes With Bridging Radiation Therapy Prior To Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy In Patients With Aggressive Large B-Cell Lymphomas, Gohar S Manzar, Chelsea C Pinnix, Stephanie O Dudzinski, Kathryn E Marqueen, Elaine E Cha, Lewis F Nasr, Alison K Yoder, Michael K Rooney, Paolo Strati, Sairah Ahmed, Chijioke Nze, Ranjit Nair, Luis E Fayad, Michael Wang, Loretta J Nastoupil, Jason R Westin, Christopher R Flowers, Sattva S Neelapu, Jillian R Gunther, Bouthaina S Dabaja, Susan Y Wu, Penny Q Fang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Select patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B cell lymphoma may benefit from bridging radiation (bRT) prior to anti-CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T). Here, we examined patient and treatment factors associated with outcomes and patterns of failure after bRT and CAR-T.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed adults with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who received bRT prior to axicabtagene ciloleucel, tisagenlecleucel, or lisocabtagene maraleucel between 11/2017-4/2023. Clinical/treatment characteristics, response, and toxicity were extracted. Survival was modeled using Kaplan-Meier or Cox regression models for events distributed over time, or binary logistic regression for disease response. Fisher's Exact Test or Mann-Whitney …

Patterns Of Loco-Regional Progression And Patient Outcomes After Definitive-Dose Radiation Therapy For Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, Julianna K Bronk, Alexander Augustyn, Abdallah S R Mohamed, C David Fuller, Adam S Garden, Amy C Moreno, Anna Lee, William H Morrison, Jack Phan, Jay P Reddy, David I Rosenthal, Michael T Spiotto, Steven J Frank, Ramona Dadu, Naifa Busaidy, Mark Zafereo, Jennifer R Wang, Anastasios Maniakas, Renata Ferrarotto, Priyanka C Iyer, Maria E Cabanillas, G Brandon Gunn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The aim of this study is to characterize the patterns of loco-regional progression (LRP) and outcomes after definitive-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) with macroscopic neck disease at the time of IMRT.

Methods: Disease/treatment characteristics and outcomes for patients with unresected or incompletely resected ATC who received IMRT (≥45 Gy) were retrospectively reviewed. For those with LRP after IMRT, progressive/recurrent gross tumor volumes (rGTV) were contoured on diagnostic CTs and co-registered with initial planning CTs using deformable image registration. rGTVs were classified based on established spatial/dosimetric criteria.

Results: Forty patients treated between 2010-2020 formed …

Selective Inhibition Of Canonical Stat3 Signaling Suppresses K-Ras Mutant Lung Tumorigenesis And Reinvigorates Anti-Tumor Immunity, Michael J Clowers, Zahraa Rahal, Sung-Nam Cho, Avantika Krishna, Bo Yuan, Leticia G Hamana Zorrilla, T Kris Eckols, Moses M Kasembeli, Samuel Liu, Stephen Peng, Marco Ramos-Castaneda, Annamarie L Thompson, Carlos Ignacio Rodriguez Reyna, Katherine E Larsen, Maria T Grimaldo, Shanshan Deng, Nastaran Karimi, Cody Chou, Walter V Velasco, Melody Zarghooni, Sayan Alekseev, Luisa M Solis Soto, Edwin J Ostrin, Humam Kadara, Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, David J Tweardy, Seyed Javad Moghaddam

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: K-ras mutant lung adenocarcinoma (KM-LUAD) is a difficult-to-treat cancer subtype in which chronic inflammation pervades the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Pro-inflammatory pathways dampen the response to treatments, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, necessitating therapies that target this inflammatory signaling network in the TIME. One of the lynchpins of chronic inflammation in KM-LUAD is signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3).

Methods: Here, we tested the anti-tumor and early immunotherapeutic efficacy of TTI-101, a selective small-molecule inhibitor of canonical STAT3 signaling, in a K-rasG12D mutant lung cancer mouse model (CC-LR).

Results: Treatment of CC-LR mice with TTI-101 resulted in reduced …

Dedifferentiated Liposarcomas Treated With Immune Checkpoint Blockade: The Md Anderson Experience, Madeline B Torres, Cheuk Hong Leung, Marianne Zoghbi, Rossana Lazcano, Davis Ingram, Khalida Wani, Emily Z Keung, M Alejandra Zarzour, Christopher P Scally, Kelly K Hunt, Anthony Conley, Andrew J Bishop, B Ashleigh Guadagnolo, Ahsan Farooqi, Devarati Mitra, Alison K Yoder, Michael S Nakazawa, Dejka Araujo, Andrew Livingston, Ravin Ratan, Shreyaskumar Patel, Vinod Ravi, Alexander J Lazar, Christina L Roland, Neeta Somaiah, Elise F Nassif Haddad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is one of the most common types of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) characterized by liposarcomatous differentiation and a predilection for the retroperitoneum. Despite the growing number of histology-specific immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) trials in STS, it is still difficult to identify the radiographic objective response rate (ORR) for DDLPS in the real world setting. This study aimed to evaluate the ORR and survival of patients with DDLPS treated with ICB at a single center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 31 patients with pathologically confirmed DDLPS treated with ICB at MD Anderson Cancer Center between …

Inhibition Of Nitric Oxide Synthase Transforms Carotid Occlusion-Mediated Benign Oligemia Into De Novo Large Cerebral Infarction, Ha Kim, Jinyong Chung, Jeong Wook Kang, Dawid Schellingerhout, Soo Ji Lee, Hee Jeong Jang, Inyeong Park, Taesu Kim, Dong-Seok Gwak, Ji Sung Lee, Sung-Ha Hong, Kang-Hoon Je, Hee-Joon Bae, Joohon Sung, Eng H Lo, James Faber, Cenk Ayata, Dong-Eog Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Different Phenotypes With Different Endings-Telomere Biology Disorders And Cancer Predisposition With Long Telomeres, Sharon A Savage, Alison A Bertuch, Team Telomere And The Clinical Care Consortium For Telomere‐Associated Ailments (Ccctaa)

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rare germline pathogenic variants (GPVs) in genes essential in telomere length maintenance and function have been implicated in two broad classes of human disease. The telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are a spectrum of life-threatening conditions, including bone marrow failure, liver and lung disease, cancer and other complications caused by GPVs in telomere maintenance genes that result in short and/or dysfunctional telomeres and reduced cellular replicative capacity. In contrast, cancer predisposition with long telomeres (CPLT) is a disorder associated with elevated risk of a variety of cancers, primarily melanoma, thyroid cancer, sarcoma, glioma and lymphoproliferative neoplasms caused by GPVs in shelterin …

Grape-Pi: Graph-Based Neural Networks For Enhanced Protein Identification In Proteomics Pipelines, Chunhui Gu, Seyyed Mahmood Ghasemi, Yining Cai, Johannes F Fahrmann, James P Long, Hiroyuki Katayama, Chong Wu, Jody Vykoukal, Jennifer B Dennison, Samir Hanash, Kim-Anh Do, Ehsan Irajizad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Motivation: Protein identification via mass spectrometry (MS) is the primary method for untargeted protein detection. However, the identification process is challenging due to data complexity and the need to control false discovery rates (FDR) of protein identification. To address these challenges, we developed a graph neural network (GNN)-based model, Graph Neural Network using Protein-Protein Interaction for Enhancing Protein Identification (Grape-Pi), which is applicable to all proteomics pipelines. This model leverages protein-protein interaction (PPI) data and employs two types of message-passing layers to integrate evidence from both the target protein and its interactors, thereby improving identification accuracy.

Results: Grape-Pi achieved significant …

Il-7: A Potential Next-Generation Adjuvant For Immune Cell Therapies, Richard S Hotchkiss, John F Dipersio, Cassian Yee, Russell K Pachynski, Marcel R M Van Den Brink

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cell-based immune therapies ranging from CAR-T cells to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and endogenous T-cell products, have produced unprecedented clinical responses in hematologic malignancies and are currently under active investigation for solid tumors. Nevertheless, several key challenges continue to limit the durability and breadth of clinical benefit. IL-7 is a pleiotropic cytokine that increases both the number and function of lymphocytes. Although not yet clinically approved, IL-7 has been used in over 620 adult and pediatric patients for a variety of reasons including, for example, to hasten bone marrow recovery after allogenic stem cell transplantation, to reverse lymphopenia due to …

Efficacy Of A Smartphone Application Assisting Home-Based Rehabilitation And Symptom Management For Patients With Lung Cancer Undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy: A Prospective, Single-Blinded, Randomised Control Trial (Popper Study, Chao Lv, Fangliang Lu, Xiugeng Zhou, Xiang Li, Wenhua Yu, Chune Zhang, Kaishen Chen, Songtao Du, Chao Han, Jia Wang, Yuzhao Wang, Shaolei Li, Liang Wang, Yinan Liu, Shanyuan Zhang, Miao Huang, Dongdong Song, Dachuan Zhao, Bing Liu, Yaqi Wang, Xinrun Cui, Zhiwei Zhou, Shi Yan, Nan Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy can affect patients' pulmonary function and quality of life significantly. No optimal protocol combining patient-reported outcome-based symptom management and postdischarge rehabilitation programme has yet been established. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a novel smartphone app designed for home-based symptom management and rehabilitation.

Methods: The app was developed based on three modules: a symptom reporting system with alerts, aerobic and respiratory training exercises, and educational material. Four core symptoms were selected based on a questionnaire survey of 201 patients and three rounds of Delphi voting by 30 experts. The authors screened 265 patients …

Plasma Dna Methylation-Based Biomarkers For Mpnst Detection In Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 1, Katarzyna Tomczak, Manishkumar S Patel, Angela D Bhalla, Christine B Peterson, Sharon M Landers, S Carson Callahan, Di Zhang, Justin Wong, Jace P Landry, Alexander J Lazar, J Andrew Livingston, B Ashleigh Guadagnolo, Heather G Lyu, Heather Lillemoe, Christina L Roland, Emily Z Keung, Christopher P Scally, Kelly K Hunt, Ian E Mccutcheon, John M Slopis, Jian Gu, Paul Scheet, Liang Wang, Kunal Rai, Keila E Torres

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) development is characterized by an altered DNA methylation landscape, which presents a promising area for developing MPNST-specific biomarkers for screening patients with NF1. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of a cohort of 13 patients with MPNST (29 samples of tumor and adjacent neurofibroma tissues) and of NF1-MPNST cell lines was performed to identify and validate candidate MPNST-specific CpG sites (CpGs). A logistic regression prediction model was constructed to select MPNST-specific CpGs distinct from adjacent neurofibromas and normal tissues. To test if hypermethylation at selected CpGs can also be detected in plasma from patients with MPNST, …

Approach To Determining Etiology Of Hypophosphatemia In A Patient With Coexisting Phosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor And Fibrous Dysplasia, Madhuri D Patil, Sintawat Wangsiricharoen, Alexander J Lazar, Bryan Moon, John E Madewell, Michael T Collins, Theresa A Guise

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dysregulated FGF23 production is a demonstrated cause of hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia. Diseases associated with these conditions include phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) causing tumor induced osteomalacia, various forms of rickets, and fibrous dysplasia (FD). Coexistence of 2 conditions that can increase FGF23 concentrations is rare. We report a case of a 79-yr-old man who presented with rib and right flank pain. Imaging revealed bone lesions in the right iliac wing, left supra-acetabular area, and L4 vertebral body. Biopsies showed a right iliac PMT and left supra-acetabular FD. Cryoablation of both lesions resolved the phosphaturia with normalization of phosphorus level. Coexistence of …

Ntrk Fusion-Positive Thyroid Carcinoma: From Diagnosis To Targeted Therapy, Vicente R Marczyk, Sasan Fazeli, Ramona Dadu, Naifa L Busaidy, Priyanka Iyer, Mimi I Hu, Steven I Sherman, Sarah Hamidi, Sayed Mohsen Hosseini, Michelle D Williams, Salmaan Ahmed, Mark J Routbort, Raja Luthra, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, Francis Anthony San Lucas, Keyur P Patel, David S Hong, Mark Zafereo, Jennifer R Wang, Anastasios Maniakas, Steven G Waguespack, Maria E Cabanillas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Neurotrophic tropomyosin receptor kinase (NTRK) fusions may act as an oncogenic driver in thyroid carcinomas. Given their low frequency, clinical, pathological, and molecular data on these patients and their responses to targeted therapies are limited.

Methods: This is an observational retrospective study conducted at a single high-volume cancer center in the United States. Data were retrospectively collected from medical records.

Results: We included 65 patients (37 adult, 28 pediatric) with an NTRK fusion-positive thyroid carcinoma (24 NTRK1, 41 NTRK3), of which 54 were papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC), four poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas (PDTC), and seven …

Detrimental Effects Of Space Flight On The Lumbar Spine May Be Correlated To Baseline Degeneration: Insights From An Advanced Mr Imaging Study, Rakan Bokhari, Daniel G Bisson, Maryse Fortin, Marie Vigouroux, Juan Pablo Cata, Ken-Pin Hwang, Melissa M Chen, Guillermo Ceniza-Bordallo, Jean A Ouellet, Pablo M Ingelmo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Pain in lower back is a common condition reported by astronauts, both during and after space missions. Investigating the alterations in the spine and the mechanisms driving these changes is essential for a deeper understanding of how microgravity impacts the human spine. This knowledge could also open pathways for therapeutic or preventive interventions. Nevertheless, there is a limited evidence regarding changes in intervertebral discs (IVDs) due to space travel.

Materials and methods: In this study, 2 astronauts were enrolled in a space travel. Before the space flight, a lower back magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was performed. We repeated …

A Biomechanical Study Of Neck Strength And Impact Dynamics On Head And Neck Injury Parameters, Rahid Zaman, Mohammad Ibrahim Hossain, Ahmed Zubayer Raiyan, Shuvo Chowdhury, Aaron Jackson, Arthur Thomas Koster, Ashfaq Adnan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Head and neck injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBI), are a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. It affects millions of people worldwide, from automobiles to sports to military personnel. This study investigates the influence of impact locations, severities, and neck strength on head and neck injury parameters using a musculoskeletal head-neck model in OpenSim software.

Methods: We hypothesize that eccentric impacts, particularly those on the anterolateral side, increase GAMBIT and Neck Injury Criteria (NIC) due to elevated rotational accelerations, and that higher neck strength mitigates GAMBIT and NIC under these impacts. To test our hypotheses, we investigated …

Organ Of Corti Macrophages: A Distinct Group Of Cochlear Macrophages With Potential Roles In Supporting Cell Degeneration And Survival, Mengxiao Ye, Celia Zhang, Dalian Ding, Guang-Di Chen, Henry J Adler, Rania Sharaf, Bo Hua Hu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Macrophages are the primary immune cells in the cochlea, essential for maintaining cochlear homeostasis and orchestrating inflammatory responses to pathological events. Although these cells have been found in various parts of the cochlea, their presence in the organ of Corti, a critical structure for acoustic sensing, remains poorly understood. The present study was designed to examine macrophage responses to ototoxic drug-induced cochlear damage and age-related cochlear degeneration, with a particular focus on the pathological conditions that trigger macrophage recruitment into the organ of Corti. We used a model of ototoxicity induced by cyclodextrin, a cyclic oligosaccharide known for its ability …

A Network-Based Discovery Of Prognostic Markers In Recurrent Idh Wild-Type Gliomas, Yang Liu, Jason Huse, Kasthuri Kannan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type (IDH wild-type) gliomas represents the most aggressive subtype of diffuse gliomas, characterized by therapeutic resistance and dismal prognosis. Despite advances in molecular classification, reliable prognostic biomarkers for these tumors remain limited, particularly for recurrent disease. This study aims to identify gene expression signatures associated with survival outcomes in recurrent IDH wild-type gliomas, with the goal of improving patient stratification and potential therapeutic targeting.

Methods: We analyzed gene expression data from 180 recurrent IDH wild-type glioma samples from the Glioma Longitudinal AnalySiS (GLASS) Consortium. Using multiple computational approaches including a novel network-based method (netSurvival) and various survival …

Exposure Therapy Consortium: Outcomes Of The Proof-Of-Principle Study, Jasper A J Smits, Jonathan S Abramowitz, Rebecca A Anderson, Joanna J Arch, Daniel Badeja, Snir Barzilay, Amanda N Belanger, Thomas Borchert, Emma Bryant, Alane S Burger, Laura J Dixon, Christina D Dutcher, Hayley E Fitzgerald, Bronwyn M Graham, Anke Haberkamp, Stefan G Hofmann, Jürgen Hoyer, Jonathan D Huppert, David Johnson, Baraa Q Kabha, Alex Kirk, Jürgen Margraf, Peter M Mcevoy, Bryan Mcspadden, Jill Newby, Michael W Otto, Santiago Papini, E Marie Parsons, Andre Pittig, Roxana Pittig, Winfried Rief, Svenja Schaumburg, Kiara R Timpano, Lena Waltemate, Andre Wannemüller, Cornelia Weise, Exposure Therapy Consortium

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: This paper reports on the outcomes of a proof-of-principle study for the Exposure Therapy Consortium, a global network of researchers and clinicians who work to improve the effectiveness and uptake of exposure therapy. The study aimed to test the feasibility of the consortium's big-team science approach and test the hypothesis that adding post-exposure processing focused on enhancing threat reappraisal would enhance the efficacy of a one-session large-group interoceptive exposure therapy protocol for reducing anxiety sensitivity.

Methods: The study involved a multi-site cluster-randomized controlled trial comparing exposure with post-processing (ENHANCED), exposure without post-processing (STANDARD), and a stress management intervention (CONTROL) …

Moderately Hypofractionated, Preoperative Radiotherapy In Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcomas (Hyport-Sts): Updated Local Control, Late Toxicities, And Patient-Reported Outcomes, Andrew J Bishop, Devarati Mitra, Ahsan Farooqi, David M Swanson, Caroline Hempel, Tiara Willis, Chris Pearlnath, Wei-Lien Wang, Ravin Ratan, Neeta Somaiah, Robert S Benjamin, Keila E Torres, Kelly K Hunt, Christopher P Scally, Emily Z Keung, Robert L Satcher, Justin E Bird, Patrick P Lin, Bryan S Moon, Valerae O Lewis, Christina L Roland, B Ashleigh Guadagnolo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Moderately hypofractionated, preoperative radiotherapy in patients with soft tissue sarcomas (HYPORT-STS; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03819985) investigated a radiobiologically equivalent, moderately hypofractionated course of preoperative radiotherapy (RT) 15 × 2.85 Gy in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Here, the authors report longer term follow-up to update local control and report late toxicities, as well as functional and patient-reported outcomes.

Methods: HYPORT-STS was a single-center, open-label, single-arm, prospective phase 2 clinical trial that enrolled 120 eligible adult patients with localized STS of the extremities or superficial trunk between 2018 and 2021. Patients received a 3-week course of preoperative RT followed …

Sex And Apoe Ε4 Allele Differences In Longitudinal White Matter Microstructure In Multiple Cohorts Of Aging And Alzheimer's Disease, Amalia Peterson, Aditi Sathe, Dimitrios Zaras, Yisu Yang, Alaina Durant, Kacie D Deters, Niranjana Shashikumar, Kimberly R Pechman, Michael E Kim, Chenyu Gao, Nazirah Mohd Khairi, Zhiyuan Li, Tianyuan Yao, Yuankai Huo, Logan Dumitrescu, Katherine A Gifford, Jo Ellen Wilson, Francis E Cambronero, Shannon L Risacher, Lori L Beason-Held, Yang An, Konstantinos Arfanakis, Guray Erus, Christos Davatzikos, Duygu Tosun, Arthur W Toga, Paul M Thompson, Elizabeth C Mormino, Mohamad Habes, Di Wang, Panpan Zhang, Kurt Schilling, Marilyn Albert, Walter Kukull, Sarah A Biber, Bennett A Landman, Sterling C Johnson, Julie Schneider, Lisa L Barnes, David A Bennett, Angela L Jefferson, Susan M Resnick, Andrew J Saykin, Timothy J Hohman, Derek B Archer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: The effects of sex and apolipoprotein E (APOE)-Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk factors-on white matter microstructure are not well characterized.

Methods: Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data from nine well-established longitudinal cohorts of aging were free water (FW)-corrected and harmonized. This dataset included 4741 participants (age = 73.06 ± 9.75) with 9671 imaging sessions over time. FW and FW-corrected fractional anisotropy (FAFWcorr) were used to assess differences in white matter microstructure by sex and APOE ε4 carrier status.

Results: Sex differences in FAFWcorr in projection tracts and APOE ε4 differences in FW limbic and occipital transcallosal tracts were most pronounced.

Discussion: …

Consensus Guidelines For Delineation Of Clinical Target Volumes For Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy For Intact Cervical Cancer: An Update, Emma C Fields, Walter R Bosch, Kevin V Albuquerque, Rohini Bhatia, Junzo Chino, Brandon Dyer, Beth Erickson, Denise Fabian, David Gaffney, Scott Glaser, Kathy Han, Lara Hathout, I-Chow Hsu, Naresh Jegadeesh, Jenna Kahn, Elizabeth Kidd, Ann Klopp, Eric Leung, Lilie Lin, Michelle Ludwig, Tianjun Ma, Loren Mell, Jyoti Mayadev, Ivy Petersen, Lorraine Portelance, Dominique Rash, Neil Taunk, Akila Viswanathan, Aaron Wolfson, Catheryn Yashar, Anamaria Yeung, Emi Yoshida, Christine M Fisher

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Accurate target delineation is essential when using intensity modulated radiation therapy for intact cervical cancer. In 2011, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group published a consensus guideline using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The current project expands on the previous atlas by including computed tomography (CT)-based contours, contours with MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) registrations, the addition of common and complex scenarios, and incorporating information on simulation and treatment planning techniques.

Methods and materials: Twenty-eight experts in gynecologic radiation oncology contoured 3 cases, first on a noncontrast CT simulation scan and then with registered diagnostic scans. The cases included (1) …

Modest Radiation Dose Escalation For Early-Stage Anal Cancer: Cancer Control And Toxicity Outcomes, Sage Copling, Michael K Rooney, Prajnan Das, Eugene J Koay, Ethan B Ludmir, Bruce D Minsky, Sonal S Noticewala, Grace L Smith, Emma B Holliday

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The optimal dose for patients with early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the impact of modest dose escalation (54 Gray (Gy)) compared with standard dose (50 Gray) on the disease-free survival and toxicity outcomes for patients with T1-2N0 SCCA.

Methods: Patients with T1-T2N0 SCCA treated with definitive radiation from 1/1/2003 until 6/31/2022 were included in this retrospective analysis. Regression discontinuity analysis was performed to evaluate for a potential causal effect of modest dose escalation on freedom from local recurrence (FFLR). Cox proportional hazards model was generated to estimate the effect of …