Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Combining Menin And Mek Inhibition To Target Poor Prognosis Kmt2a-Rearranged Ras Pathway-Mutant Acute Myeloid Leukemia., Nastassja Scheidegger, Constanze Schneider, Gabriela Alexe, Yi-Cheng Wang, Todd A. Alonzo, Allen Basanthakumar, Wallace A. Bourgeois, Julia Dudkiewicz-Garbicz, Delan Khalid, Lucy A. Merickel, Jennifer A. Perry, Rhonda E. Ries, Silvi Salhotra, Audrey Taillon, Alan S. Gamis, Richard Aplenc, Marian H. Harris, Mark Wunderlich, Scott A. Armstrong, Jessica A. Pollard, Soheil Meshinchi, Yana Pikman, Kimberly Stegmaier

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) acute leukemias are especially prevalent in the pediatric population. KMT2A-fusion proteins drive leukemogenic gene expression through an interaction with a chromatin complex that includes the scaffold protein menin, giving rise to aggressive acute leukemias. RAS pathway mutations are also common in pediatric leukemia. In a cohort of 1750 patients enrolled on Children's Oncology Group (COG) trials, we identified RAS pathway mutations in 43% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases. The presence of RAS pathway mutations in KMT2A-r AML was associated with a lower complete remission rate, poor event-free survival and overall survival (OS), and early relapses. Given the …

Slc Transporter-Mediated Functional Imaging In Cancer Diagnosis, Lumeng Zhang, Jun He

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Functional imaging has become an important approach for evaluating tumor physiology in vivo beyond morphologic assessment. Radiotracers used for cancer imaging are designed to mimic endogenous substrates or substrate analogues, and their accumulation can depend on membrane transport, intracellular metabolism, and clearance from normal tissues. Specifically, SLC transporters contribute to tracer uptake and signal formation, linking transporter activity with measurable imaging signals in cancer. While [18F]FDG PET/CT remains the most widely used example of transporter-associated metabolic imaging, SLC transporter-mediated imaging strategies have been developed to assess amino acid transport, sodium-dependent glucose uptake, redox metabolism, lactate exchange, nucleoside metabolism, choline metabolism, …

A Phase Ii Trial Of Defactinib Combined With Avutometinib In Patients With Metastatic Uveal Melanoma, Rino S. Seedor, Mizue Terai, Sergei A. Koshkin, Andrew E. Aplin, Marlana Orloff, Erin Sharpe-Mills, Madeleine Naccarato, Aurora Mills, Alfredo A. Molinolo, J. Silvio Gutkind, Takami Sato

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Background: Treatment options are limited, and outcomes remain poor for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM). We conducted an investigator-initiated, prospective, single-arm, single-institution, phase II study evaluating the combination of an FAK inhibitor (defactinib) with a RAF/MEK inhibitor (avutometinib) for the treatment of MUM. Methods: From February 2021 through January 2023, 12 patients with MUM were treated with the combination of defactinib and avutometinib. Defactinib was given 200 mg twice daily, and avutometinib was given 3.2 mg twice a week. Both drugs were given for 3 weeks on and 1 week off (28-day cycle). Disease control rate was the primary …

Dosimetric Impact Of Replacing An Anterior Field With A 3d Conformal Anterior Partial Arc In Thoracic Spine Palliative Radiotherapy, Camri Garretson

Masters Projects

Purpose: Palliative radiotherapy is commonly used for the treatment of thoracic spine metastases; however, conventional beam arrangements can expose nearby organs at risk (OAR), including the heart, to unnecessary radiation dose. This study evaluated whether replacing a static anterior beam with a conformal anterior arc could reduce cardiac dose while maintaining adequate target coverage.

Methods: Fifteen thoracic spine treatment plans were retrospectively replanned using an experimental technique in which the static anterior beam from the original plans was replaced with a 3D anterior conformal arc. All other planning parameters, including beam geometry, wedges, and multi-leaf collimator margins (MLC), were kept …

Feasibility Evaluation Of Tumor Treating Fields For Brainstem Gliomas, Anthony Chen, Ryan Shah, William Shi, Noa Urman, Nadav Shapira, Nicholas Avgeropoulos, Patrick Conlon, Neil Mookerjee, Wenyin Shi

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Tumor treating fields (TTFields) are FDA-approved for supratentorial glioblastoma, but feasibility in infratentorial tumors remains poorly defined. This simulation study evaluated TTFields dose in brainstem gliomas using patient-specific modeling with scalp-only transducer arrays.

METHODS: MRI and CT imaging from seven patients with brainstem gliomas were used for TTFields planning with MAXPOINT® (Novocure, Switzerland). Clinical target volume (CTV) was defined as enhancing tumor on T1 post-contrast MRI (Gross tumor volume, GTV) plus a 3 mm peritumoral expansion. The platform optimized scalp-only array layouts, and finite element calculations generated maps of local minimum field intensity (LMiFI, V/cm) and local minimum power …

Perspective On Lessons Not Learned: From Coley’S Toxins To Microbial Drug Delivery, Guidance For Institutional Review Boards (Irbs), Brian P. Hanley, Alejandro J. Betancourt, Gustavo Gross, Wilbur (Bo) Bowne

School of Medicine Publications

The bacterial and toxin methods of cancer treatment date back 130 years. This paradigm rests on nonspecific bacterial-toxin-generated immunotherapy. This high-risk oncology research is experiencing a renaissance of methods that are among the most effective yet. Glioblastomas and other resistant cancers are the modern touchpoint, because of remission history following sepsis. Spurred by recent research deaths, we discuss protocols IRBs should consider in live bacterial or synthetic immuno-stimulatory trials. Human systemic inflammatory response syndrome immunology is unique due to non-functioning SIGLEC-13 and 17, which control excessive Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) signaling. This is not a technicality like human CD8+/CD4+ T …

Molecular Classification And Association With Survival Outcomes In High-Intermediate And High-Risk Early-Stage Endometrial Cancers: Ancillary Analysis Of Gog-0249., Lindsay M Kuroki, Danielle M Enserro, Heather A Lankes, Kyle C Strickland, Rebecca Previs, Aine Clements, Matthew A Powell, Ann Klopp, Elena Ratner, Paul Disilvestro, Casey Cosgrove, Guilherme Henrique Cantuaria, Nicola M Spirtos, Michael Carney, Mitchell Edelson, Gottfried Konecny, Penny Anderson, Christopher Tarney, Britt K Erickson, Meredith Newton, Krishnansu S Tewari, Premal H Thaker, David Warshal, Amy Armstrong, Xun Clare Zhou, Angeles Alvarez Secord

Women’s Health Articles

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether mismatch repair (MMR) and p53 expression predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) patients treated with vaginal cuff brachytherapy plus chemotherapy (VCB/C) versus pelvic radiation therapy (RT).

METHODS: In the GOG-0249 trial, 601 patients with high-intermediate risk (HIR) early-stage EC were randomized to VCB/C (carboplatin/paclitaxel for 3 cycles) or pelvic RT. Molecular subgroups, deficient MMR (dMMR), p53 wildtype (p53wt), p53 abnormal (p53abn), were determined by immunohistochemistry. Five-year RFS and OS were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for lymphadenectomy, planned VCB, and treatment group.

RESULTS: Among 315 …

Assessing Hpv And Hpv Vaccine Awareness And Perception Amongst Undergraduate Students, Maura Hawkins

Honors Theses

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. Vaccination rates remain low among college-aged students despite an effective vaccine being available. This study investigates HPV and HPV vaccination-related knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions among undergraduate students to inform targeted intervention strategies. Participants included undergraduate students (n = 19) who attended one of three focus groups conducted in April 2025 at the University of South Alabama. Structured interview guides explored HPV knowledge, perceived risk and severity, attitudes towards vaccination, autonomy in health decision-making, trust in health information sources, and preferred educational strategies. Discussions were …

Standardization Of Objectives And Response Criteria For Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy In Resectable Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Head And Neck, Carlo Resteghini, Athanassios Argiris, Pierre Blanchard, Irene Braña, Anna Maria Camarda, Anthony T. C. Chan, Robert Ferris, Vincent Gregoire, Kevin J. Harrington, Ingeborg Tinhofer, Senada Koljenović, Nancy Y. Lee, C. René Leemans, Jean-Pascal Machiels, Hisham Mehanna, Robert Metcalf, Brian O'Sullivan, Sjoukje Oosting, Ester Orlandi, Vinidh Paleri, Amanda Psyrri, Nabil F F. Saba, Sandra Schmitz, Christian Simon, Makoto Tahara, Vincent Vander Poorten, Milan Vošmik, Paolo Bossi

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

The management of locally-advanced, resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is undergoing a major shift driven by the integration of neoadjuvant immunotherapy (nIO). The rationale for nIO lies in its administration within an immunologically active, treatment-naïve microenvironment that enhances immune priming and anti-tumor response. Despite encouraging clinical data, including the pivotal KEYNOTE-689 trial and multiple phase II studies, methodological heterogeneity in trial design, endpoint definitions, and response criteria currently hampers data comparability and the establishment of new standards of care. This expert narrative review proposes a structured framework for standardizing clinical, pathologic, imaging, and translational endpoints in HNSCC …

Two Years Of Ocrelizumab Treatment In Black And Hispanic People With Multiple Sclerosis In Chimes: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial, Lilyana Amezcua, Anthony Reder, Evanthia Bernitsas, Nancy Monson, Timothy Vartanian, Gregory Wu, Mansoor Saleh, Annette Okai, Ahmed Obeidat, Dilraj Sokhi

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ocrelizumab in self-identified black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Methods The Characterization of Ocrelizumab in Minorities with Multiple Sclerosis (CHIMES) trial, a prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase 4 study, intentionally recruited underrepresented populations in the US, Puerto Rico, and Kenya. Black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis aged 18–65 years with Expanded Disability Status Scale score 0–5.5 received ocrelizumab for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with no evidence of disease activity in 3 components at week 48: protocol-defined relapse, 24-week confirmed disability progression, and disease …

Integrative Oncology For Prostate Cancer: A Narrative Review, Kevin T. Liou, Nicole A. Metri, Robert U. Newton, Divya Ajay, Eleanor M. Walker, Channing J. Paller

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Prostate cancer is most common malignancy among men in the United States. As men are now living longer with prostate cancer due to advances in treatment, there exists a growing need to manage the long-term physical and psychological sequelae of this disease, which range from genitourinary dysfunction to cardiometabolic and psychosocial consequences. Over half of men with prostate cancer report unmet needs in symptom management. Integrative oncology, a patient-centered, evidence-informed field combining lifestyle, natural product, and mind–body interventions with conventional treatments, offers a promising approach to prostate cancer symptom management. This review summarizes the current landscape of integrative oncology research …

Risk Of Fracture Following Androgen Receptor Pathway Inhibitors In Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer, Grace Lu-Yao, Nikita Nikita, Scott W. Keith, Krupa Gandhi, Amy L. Shaver, Swapnil Sharma, Christina Steinbock-Malfer, Hushan Yang, Christopher Yang, Kevin K. Zarrabi, Stephen J. Freedland, William K. Kelly

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: This population-based study aimed to quantify fracture risk after androgen receptor pathway inhibitors in advanced prostate cancer patients by preexisting health conditions.

METHODS: Patients were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare files who received abiraterone acetate with prednisone or enzalutamide between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2020. Health and fracture history were based on claims 1 year before androgen receptor pathway inhibitor with follow-up through December 31, 2020. The main outcome of the study was the cumulative fracture risk after first date of androgen receptor pathway inhibitor. Fine and Gray subdistribution hazard model was used to …

Blinded, Bias-Controlled Multi-Rater Evaluation Of Human-Versus-Ai Brain Metastasis Segmentation Using A Hybrid Foundation-Model Framework, Yiding Han, Enze Zhu, Mhd Hasan Ai Mekdash, Omar Awad, Piyush Pathak, Shixiao Liang, Daniel Allan Hamstra, Xizhe Zhang, Zaid Ali Siddiqui, Baozhou Sun

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Accurate segmentation of brain metastases (BM) is essential for diagnosis, stereotactic radiosurgery planning, and longitudinal assessment. However, manual contouring is time-intensive, limiting clinical scalability, and exhibits substantial inter-observer variability. This variability complicates objective assessment of automated segmentation methods and challenges interpretation of model performance.

Purpose: To address these limitations, we developed TUM-SAM, a hybrid foundation-model framework for fully automated BM segmentation, and introduced a bias-controlled, blinded multi-rater evaluation paradigm to determine whether AI-based BM segmentation has reached expert-level performance and whether AI-generated contours are preferred by human experts under unbiased assessment.

Methods: TUM-SAM integrates nnU-Net-based lesion detection with a …

Health Beliefs And Lung Cancer Screening Uptake Among Eligible Asian Americans In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, Julia G. Katcher, Kuang-Yi Wen, Christine S. Shusted, Jessica Liang, Kyunghee Koh, Hee-Soon Juon, Julie Barta

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Asian Americans experience disproportionately late-stage lung cancer diagnoses and lower lung cancer screening (LCS) rates than other racial groups. This study evaluated the association between the

METHODS: This pilot randomized controlled trial, conducted April 2023-January 2024 within a Philadelphia health system, tested a culturally and linguistically tailored intervention led by community health workers. LCS completion and LCS-Health Belief Scale (LCS-HBS) responses were compared between control and intervention participants (

RESULTS: LCS completion was higher in the intervention group (45%) than in the control (31.3%). Control participants who completed LCS reported higher perceived lung cancer risk, greater perceived benefits, and …

Unlocking The Potential Of Sub-Saharan Africa In Globalized Cancer Clinical Trials: A Perspective From The 2024 Aortic-Asco Stakeholder Meeting, Abiola Ibraheem, Adedayo Joseph, Miriam Mutebi, Mansoor Saleh, Sitna Mwanzi, Olusegun Alatise

General Surgery, East Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains significantly underrepresented in global cancer clinical trials, despite having the largest population of individuals of African descent, an essential demographic for ensuring diversity in clinical research. This study, developed from the 2024 African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC)-ASCO stakeholder meeting, addresses the critical need to involve SSA in cancer trials to improve global trial diversity and patient outcomes. Although globalization of trials has shifted research sites to regions like Eastern Europe and Asia, < 1% occur in Africa. This report highlights emerging solutions such as regional alliances, decentralized trial models, capacity-building initiatives, and public-private partnerships. The role of AORTIC and its Clinical Trial Special Interest Group in advancing training, infrastructure development, and international collaboration is discussed, with notable clinical trial networks, such as HypoAfrica, ARETTA, African Research Group for Oncology, and regional consortia, illustrating growing momentum and capability. This study advocates for a coordinated strategy to integrate SSA into global trials, ensuring more inclusive, effective, and equitable cancer treatment outcomes.

Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy (Fsrt) For Symptomatic Who Grade 1 Cavernous Sinus Meningiomas: Long-Term Local Control, Clinical Response, And Toxicity Outcomes, Ryan Shah, Shray Jain, Nilanjan Haldar, Lauren A. Holt, Robert Walker, Christopher J Farrell, Md, Debanjan Haldar, James J. Evans, Gregory S. Alexander, Wenyin Shi

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Cavernous sinus meningiomas represent a significant clinical challenge, given the high prevalence of neurological deficits and limited surgical options. Radiation therapy is often the preferred treatment. This study evaluates the effectiveness of fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (fSRT) in achieving local control and symptomatic relief in patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas.

METHODS: This is a single-institution retrospective analysis of patients with symptomatic presumed WHO grade 1 cavernous sinus meningiomas treated with fSRT (1.8-2 Gy per fraction). Clinical data were collected by chart review. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to assess local control. Clinical responses were evaluated for symptom improvement, stability, or …

Kmt2d As An Epigenetic Target In Cervical Cancer: A Literature Review On Polyclonal Antibody Therapeutics And Translational Prospects, Farsya Hidayah Septiananda, Taurisma Aulia Nanda Wibisono, Rajendra Aulya Gilardino, Andreas Budi Wijaya

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health burden, particularly in regions with limited access to advanced therapeutics. Beyond viral oncogenesis, accumulating evidence highlights the crucial role of epigenetic dysregulation, particularly KMT2D, in tumor initiation and progression. This literature review aimed to critically synthesize current evidence regarding the biological role of KMT2D in cervical cancer and to explore the opportunities and limitations of antibody-based approaches for future epigenetic intervention. A structured narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify relevant studies published between January 2020 and May 2025. Literature selection was guided by a modified …

Dnp Final Report: Enhancing Radiation Oncology Training For Advanced Practice Providers, Katherine A. Bukolt

DNP Final Reports

Background: Rising cancer incidence and improved survivorship are straining the oncology workforce, increasing reliance on Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). However, there is a lack of standardized educational resources for APP radiation oncology training across practice settings. Most APPs receive variable, resource-dependent, and on-the-job training. Evidence shows that the lack of standardized training leads to gaps in foundational knowledge, reduced confidence in toxicity management, inconsistent role development, and variable satisfaction with training and transition into practice.

Purpose: This quality improvement project evaluated the feasibility of implementing an 18-module Advanced Practice Radiation Oncology (APRO) asynchronous online curriculum to standardize APP radiation oncology …

Two Decades Of Progress In The Prevention And Treatment Of Colorectal Cancer: From Aspirin To Targeted Therapy, Lovyanne Vergel De Dios, Salique Hassan Shaham, Puneet Vij, Manish Kumar Tripathi

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Folr1-Targeted Actinium-225-Based Alpha-Particle Therapy Eliminates Ovarian Cancer, Neetu Singh, Esther Need, Ayden Berndt, Matthew Goff, Lydia J. Wilson, Firas Mourtada, Feng Guo, Tara Mastren, Taslim Al-Hilal, Anil K. Sood, Amit Maity, Scott C. Miller, Satoshi Minoshima, Shreya Goel, Sixiang Shi

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Despite the advancement in therapies, ovarian cancer treatment is challenging because of poor prognosis and high relapse associated with acquired resistance. Emerging targeted alpha particles, particularly actinium-225 (225Ac), for treating refractory cancers have opened avenues for improved therapeutic options. Here, we describe a successful example of folate receptor 1 (FOLR1)–targeted 225Ac alpha-particle therapy for treatment of ovarian cancer. Longitudinal positron emission tomography imaging demonstrated high tumor-specific uptake of αFOLR1 (anti-FOLR1 antibody) in SKOV3 xenografts. FOLR1-targeted 225Ac demonstrated high therapeutic efficacy, achieving marked tumor regression, 80% survival, and 40% complete tumor elimination. The therapy resulted in tumor-specific double-stranded DNA damage, and …

A Multimodal Artificial Intelligence Model To Guide Use Of Whole-Pelvic Radiation Therapy In Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer: Exploratory Analysis Of Rtog 9413, Mutlay Sayan, Huei-Chung Huang, Erin L. Stewart, Timothy N. Showalter, Adam P. Dicker, George Daniel Grass, Elizabeth M. Gore, Andrew Michael Mcdonald, J. Daniel Pennington, Mark A. Hallman, Igor J. Barani, I-Chow Hsu, Michael Rooney, Stephanie L. Pugh, Paul L. Nguyen, Phuoc T. Tran, Mack Roach Iii

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Background/Objectives: This study explored whether a multimodal artificial intelligence (MMAI) model integrating digitized histopathology and clinical features can identify prostate cancer patients who may benefit from neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) and whole-pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT). Methods: This secondary analysis of NRG/RTOG 9413 included NHT-treated patients with digitized biopsy slides and clinical data who were not part of the MMAI model optimization. A previously validated MMAI model estimated long-term risk, and Fine-Gray models evaluated interactions between MMAI-derived scores and the radiation field (WPRT vs. prostate-only RT [PORT]) for biochemical failure (BF), chosen over progression-free survival because of extended follow-up and distant metastasis …

Baseline Lymphopenia Predicts Survival In Ici-Naïve Solid Tumor Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Propensity-Matched Real-World Pan-Cancer Analysis., Ahmed Ismail, Nina Balanchivadze, George R Simon, Yanis Boumber

Oncology Articles

Background: Baseline lymphopenia is common among advanced solid tumors and may influence the efficacy/safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but large real-world evidence is limited. We evaluated the association between baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and clinical outcomes in adults with solid tumors treated with ICIs in routine practice. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using TriNetX. Adults with solid tumors who received pembrolizumab, nivolumab, or atezolizumab (ICI-Naïve) between January 2015 and June 2026 were included. Baseline ALC was measured within 30 days before first treatment and was classified as lymphopenic (ALC < 1.5 × 109/L) or non-lymphopenic (ALC ≥ 1.5 × 109/L). Propensity score matching (1:1) yielded 5249 patients per group. The index date was the first immunotherapy date, and outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, 24, 36 months, and 5 years. The primary outcome was 24-month overall survival (OS); secondary outcomes were OS at 6 and 12 months and 6-month risks of healthcare utilization, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and serious infections; and exploratory outcomes included OS at 36 months and 5 years. All outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards models, and risk ratios. Subgroup analysis included OS stratified by solid tumor subtypes and prior lines of therapy. Results: After matching, patients with baseline lymphopenia …

Survival Outcomes And Tumor Site Distribution By Molecular Subtype In Breast Cancer Patients Under 40, Muhammad Noorani, Shubhank Goyal, Sierra Viduarri, Aura Calderon, Christine Pham, Shweta Singh, Mutaaz Ahmed, Anupam Dhasmana, Swati Dhasmana, Murali Yallapu, Shubash Chauhan, Diane Nguyen, Sidketa Fofana, Sheema Khan

Research Symposium

Background: Screening guidelines for breast cancer typically begin at age 40, leaving younger women at risk for delayed detection. The survival outcomes and tumor site patterns by subtype in this younger population remain underexplored. Our analysis leverages comprehensive national data to fill this critical knowledge gap, offering one of the most detailed evaluations to date of molecular subtype distribution, prognostic disparities, and anatomical presentation in women under 40.

Methods: Using the SEER 18 registry, we identified 5,026 female patients diagnosed under age 40 with invasive breast cancer in 2018. This year was selected for the most recent data available on …

Expression And Functional Significance Of The G Protein–Coupled Estrogen Receptor (Gper) In Breast Cancer Subtypes, Sierra E. Vidaurri, Shweta Singh, Valerie E. Ledezma, Rajasekhar Baru, Emma Garza, Francisco Flores, Muhammad Noorani, Shubhank Goyal, Aura Calderon, Alexander Lim, Anupam Dhasmana, Swati Dhasmana, Murali Yallapu, Subhash Chauhan, Diane Nguyen, Sheema Khan

Research Symposium

Background: The G protein–coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) mediates rapid non-genomic estrogen signaling and has been implicated in breast cancer progression and aggressiveness. However, its expression patterns across molecular subtypes and its direct functional contribution to tumor behavior remain incompletely defined. The objective of this study was to comprehensively characterize GPER expression in breast cancer tissues and to functionally validate its role in regulating tumor cell proliferation and migration using genetic modulation approaches.

Methods: GPER expression was evaluated in breast cancer cell lines and patient tumor tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blotting, and RT-PCR. Tumors were classified into Luminal A, Luminal …

Clinical Outcomes In Neutropenic Fever At A South Texas Community Hospital In Hispanic Patients., Bharat K. Peddinani, Aura Calderon, Ramon Elizondo-Romo, Elizabeth Mills-Reyes, Everardo Cobos

Research Symposium

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains a high-acuity complication of myelosuppressive chemotherapy, yet outcomes in Hispanic patients—particularly in South Texas—are underrepresented. We compared outcomes of FN admissions among Hispanic adults with solid tumors versus hematologic malignancies at a community hospital in the Rio Grande Valley.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult hospital admissions for FN from January 2022 through January 2025. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years, FN documented in the emergency department, active chemotherapy for a solid or hematologic malignancy, and Hispanic ethnicity. Of 139 charts screened, 97 met criteria (46 solid tumors; 51 hematologic malignancies). Primary …

Gper As A Therapeutic Target In Breast Cancer: Pharmacologic Inhibition And Microbiome Associations, Sierra E. Vidaurri, Shweta Singh, Valerie E. Ledezma, Rajesekhar Baru, Emma Garza, Francisco Flores, Muhammad Noorani, Shubhank Goyal, Aura Calderon, Alexander Lim, Anupam Dhasmana, Swati Dhasmana, Murali Yallapu, Subhash Chauhan, Diane Nguyen, Sheema Khan

Research Symposium

Background: The G protein–coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) mediates rapid estrogen signaling that promotes proliferation, migration, and therapeutic resistance in breast cancer, including in hormone receptor–negative subtypes. Notably, standard endocrine therapies may inadvertently activate GPER, highlighting the need for direct targeting of this pathway. The objectives of this study were to evaluate GPER as a therapeutic target using pharmacologic modulators and to determine how GPER-driven tumor behavior relates to tumor microbiome composition across breast cancer subtypes.

Methods: Breast cancer cell lines representing Luminal A (MCF7), Luminal B (BT474), HER2-enriched (SKBR3), and triple-negative (HCC38, MDA-MB-453, MDA-MB-231) subtypes were treated with Ormeloxifene (ORM). …

Notch1 Acts As A Tumor Suppressor That Induces Early Differentiation In Head And Neck Cancer, Chenfei Huang, Shhyam Moorthy, Qiuli Li, Kazi M Ahmed, Kalil Saab, Defeng Deng, Jiping Wang, Xiayu Rao, Jiexin Zhang, Yuanxin Xi, Jing Wang, Zhiyi Liu, Noriaki Tanaka, David A Wheeler, Eve Shinbrot, Rami Saade, Curtis R Pickering, Tong-Xin Xie, Adel K El-Naggar, Abdullah A Osman, Kunal Rai, Patrick A Zweidler-Mckay, John V Heymach, Lauren A Byers, Faye M Johnson, Vlad C Sandulache, Jeffrey N Myers, Pedram Yadollahi, Mitchell J Frederick

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Inactivating NOTCH1 mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were described over a decade ago, suggesting a tumor suppressor function - unlike its oncogenic role in other tumors. Today, much debate persists regarding a putative oncogenic role in HNSCC as well, with reports that NOTCH1 signaling drives tumor growth and a cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype. In this work, comprehensive experiments unequivocally demonstrate that NOTCH1 is a tumor suppressor in HNSCC regardless of mutation or activation status and that it reduces CSC frequency. We developed a signature of NOTCH1 activation showing the pathway is associated with very early …

A Novel Qa Method For Adaptive Aperture Position Verification Of Proton Therapy System, Shuxin Fan, Tiezhi Zhang, Xiandong Zhao, Winter Green, Baozhou Sun, Tianyu Zhao, Yao Hao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Accurate Adaptive Aperture (AA) leaf positioning is essential for some proton therapy systems to ensure precise dose delivery and patient safety. However, conventional quality assurance (QA) methods can be suboptimal or inefficient for routinely assessing the dynamic nature of AA in the Mevion S250i HYPERSCAN system. This study introduces a novel automated QA method to verify AA positions utilizing a scintillation detector. A specialized QA plan consisting of 7 rectangular fields was generated in the RayStation treatment planning system (TPS) and delivered using the Mevion S250i HYPERSCAN proton therapy system. Dose distributions were measured with an IBA Lynx PT scintillation …

The Influence Of Social Media Messaging On Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Attitudes And Confidence Among Adolescent Males: Group Discussion Study, Neha Trivedi, Rachel Van Vleet, Czesia Eid, Amelia Burke-Garcia, Amy Leader

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine being available to males for the past 12 years, adolescent males continue to lag in HPV vaccine uptake due to a variety of factors. With the ubiquitous nature of social media use among this population, further research is needed to improve HPV vaccine confidence among young adolescent males using these platforms.

OBJECTIVE: Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), this study sought to better understand knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about HPV and HPV vaccination among male adolescents aged 14-17 years and examine how social media messaging influences vaccine perceptions and explore the characteristics of …

Secondary Cutaneous Involvement In Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: Diagnostic Frameworks, Staging Integration, And Therapeutic Implications, Aura Calderon, Jose Loayza Pintado, Cristina Kochi, Jared Hensley, Andres Suarez Parraga, Everardo Cobos

School of Medicine Publications

The occurrence of secondary cutaneous manifestations in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is relatively infrequent and can resemble benign dermatoses, leading to diagnosis delays. We present the case of a 78-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of PTCL affecting the left parotid gland, who experienced a 2-day sudden and intensely pruritic skin eruption, which progressed from both forearms to the trunk, involving more than 50% of the total body surface area. Initially, the eruption was managed as a hypersensitivity reaction with antihistamines and corticosteroids, with temporary symptomatic relief; however, the rapid clinical progression in the context of an established diagnosis of …