Neoplasms Commons^™

Dual Membrane Receptor Degradation Via Folate Receptor Targeting Chimera, Zhen Wang, Zhixin Li, Jenny Högström, Hiroyuki Inuzuka, Rui Jing, Peiqiang Yan, Tao Hou, Yihang Qi, Daoyuan Huang, Jingchao Wang, Ting Wu, Xiaoying Shi, Bolin Liu, Taru Muranen, Dingpeng Zhang, Wenyi Wei

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Cancer drug resistance poses a significant challenge in oncology, often driven by intricate cross-talk among membrane-bound receptors that compromise mono-targeted therapies. We develop a dual membrane receptor degradation strategy leveraging Folate Receptor α (FRα) to address this issue. Folate Receptor α Targeting Chimeras-dual (FolTAC-dual) are engineered degraders designed to selectively and simultaneously degrade distinct receptor pairs: (1) EGFR/HER2 and (2) PD-L1/VISTA. Through modular optimization of modality configurations and geometries, we identify the “string” format as the most effective construct. Mechanistic studies demonstrate an ~85% increase in EGFR-binding affinity compared to the conventional knob-into-hole design, likely contributing to the improved efficiency …

Concurrent Local Therapy Extends Clinical Benefit Of Tebentafusp In Metastatic Uveal Melanoma Patients, Tristan L. Lim, Kamaneh Montazeri, Eric Wehrenberg-Klee, Antoine Desilets, Rino S. Seedor, Marlana Orloff, Takami Sato, Michael Caplan, Mariam El-Ashmawy, Benjamin Izar, Shaheer Khan, Inderjit Mehmi, Aleigha Lawless, Theodore S. Hong, Omid Hamid, Richard D. Carvajal, Alexander Shoushtari, Ryan J. Sullivan

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Tebentafusp has significantly improved overall survival in HLA-A*02:01+ metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) patients even in those with a best objective response of progressive disease. Thus, strategies to maintain tebentafusp therapy are critical. Here, we examine the efficacy and safety of adding concurrent local therapy (CLT) to tebentafusp upon radiological progression with tebentafusp alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study included mUM patients treated with tebentafusp and CLT, consisting of extrahepatic soft tissue irradiation and liver-directed therapies (LDTs). Efficacy of target and nontarget sites were assessed per RECIST version 1.1. PFS with tebentafusp alone (PFS1) was compared to that …

Decreased Risk Of Incident Cancer Among Patients With Vitiligo: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Analysis, Rahib K. Islam, Ivan D. Nguyen, Kazi N. Islam, Lacey M. Falgout, Jonathan M. Joseph, Collins T. Langley, Christopher J. Haas

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Survival Impact And Sociodemographic Correlates Of Colon Cancer Surgery, Refusal, Paola Berrios Jimenez, Angel Aguayo Merly, Ramin Shekouhi, Berkay Demirors, Jade C. Bowers, Vishal Abhimutt Mahesh, Anjali Yadav, Bansi P. Savaliya, Reed Popp, Syeda Hoorulain Ahmed, Esinam Ekpeh, Guido Chiriboga, Emmanuel Gabriel

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background/Aim: Surgical treatment for colon cancer is often curative when diagnosed early. This study evaluated the sociodemographic characteristics and survival outcomes associated with refusal of surgery among patients with colon cancer. The objective was to identify disparities to improve patient outcomes. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) data from 2004 to 2019, including 1,048,575 patients with colon cancer. Variables analyzed included demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment facility type, and geographic and socioeconomic factors. Descriptive statistics were assessed using Wilcoxon Rank Sum and Chi-square tests. Survival outcomes were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis and …

Artificial Intelligence In The Management Of Leukemia, Stephanie Koo, Austin P. Runde, Melvin Speisman

School of Medicine

BACKGROUND: Recently, given the demonstrated ability of AI to accurately characterize complex pathologies, AI has been proposed to be of use in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of leukemias given their genetic complexity and subtype heterogeneity, array of treatments, and need for relapse detection. AI has several potential applications in the management of leukemia. First, it can be used to detect leukemia; using AI to detect nuances in lab values can ensure these deadly cancers are never missed. Second, AI can be used to risk-stratify patients and personalize treatments; leukemias are among the most genetically complex cancers with well-characterized risk …

Predictors Of All-Cause In-Hospital Mortality In Patients With Malignant Well-Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors, Elvis Obomanu, Tarfa Verinumbe, Tinsae Anebo, Colton Jones, Claudia Dourado

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Factors influencing in-hospital mortality in patients with well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) remain understudied, highlighting gaps in optimizing acute clinical outcomes. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and clinical predictors of all-cause in-hospital mortality in this population.

METHODS: Using 2016 - 2020 data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), patients with malignant well-differentiated GEP-NETs were identified via the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Sociodemographic and clinical variables (heart failure (HF), malnutrition, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and tumor site) were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS: Among 5,642 patients (mean age …

Artificial Intelligence In Head And Neck Cancer: Towards Precision Medicine., Jacob Hagen, Logan Hornung, William Barham, Supratik Mukhopadhyay, Ada Bess, Kevin Contrera, Kevin Contrera, Devraj Basu, Vlad Sandulache, Guillaume Spielmann, Sagar Kansara

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Simple Summary: This review was conducted to highlight current and potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the care of patients with head and neck cancer, the barriers to its clinical implementation, and the relative scarcity of research in this field. While AI has demonstrated success in other areas of oncology, its role in head and neck cancer remains limited, with progress slowed by technical, ethical, and logistical challenges. Nevertheless, integrating AI with multiomics approaches presents a promising opportunity to advance precision medicine in this patient population. The findings presented in this manuscript may encourage further multi-institutional studies aimed at …

Artificial Intelligence In Head And Neck Cancer: Towards Precision Medicine, Jacob Hagen, Logan Hornung, William Barham, Supratik Mukhopadhyay, Adam Bess, Kevin Contrera, Devraj Basu, Vlad Sandulache, Guillaume Spielmann, Sagar Kansara

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Over the past 20 years, the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) have gained significant interest. While AI has been implemented to various degrees in several disciplines, its unique applications in head and neck cancer (HNC) remain underdeveloped. This narrative review examines the existing body of literature regarding the use of AI in HNC. Studies to date have demonstrated AI’s utility across multiple phases of the HNC treatment continuum. Despite its promise, integrating AI into clinical practice faces several challenges, including concerns about system integrity, generalizability, privacy, and bias. In this review, we address these challenges and offer insights into future …

A Novel Sialylation Pathway Mediated By Extracellular Vesicles In Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Camila A. Bach, Md Niamat Hossain, Ishan J. Chaudhari, Cecilia E. Verrillo, Nicole M. Naranjo, Isabella Amoroso, Anna Testa, Samuel Sey, W. Kevin Kelly, Susan L. Bellis, Aurelio Lorico, Ada G. Blidner, Gabriel A. Rabinovich, Lucia R. Languino

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Altered cell surface glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer; among aberrant glycan structures, hypersialylated proteins contribute to disease progression. The enzyme ST6 β-galactoside α2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1) mediates α2,6-linked sialylation of N-glycosylated proteins and is upregulated in many cancers, including prostate cancer (PrCa). We propose that ST6GAL1 may be released by cancer cells in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in the PrCa tumor microenvironment to potentially modulate cell surface sialylation in recipient cells. We isolated sEVs from PrCa cells by density gradient separation and characterized them by nanoparticle tracking analysis using ZetaView and immunoblotting analysis. We identified ST6GAL1 in both its membrane-bound …

Subtype-Specific Her3 Enrichment In Basal-Like Breast Cancer Is Regulated Via The Gata2/Gata3–Foxa1 Axis, Congcong Tan, Hui Lyu, Sanbao Ruan, Yakun Wu, Margaret E. Larsen, Shou Ching Tang, Bolin Liu

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is a major subtype of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), characterized by aggressive behavior, limited treatment options, and poor prognosis. While HER3 overexpression is frequently observed in TNBC and associated with poor outcomes, its subtype-specific expression and therapeutic potential remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that HER3 signaling is selectively hyperactivated in BLBC compared to claudin-low breast cancer (CLBC) using transcriptomic profiling. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), Romidepsin and Panobinostat, exerted potent antitumor effects on BLBC by selectively downregulating HER3 expression. HER3 levels were positively correlated with FOXA1, a key transcriptional activator. Mechanistically, we identified GATA2 and GATA3 as …

Unplanned Hospitalization Among Advanced Prostate Cancer Patients By Diabetes Status: A Population-Based Study, Amy L. Shaver, Krupa Gandhi, Scott W. Keith, Nikita Nikita, Christopher C. Yang, Felix J. Kim, Hushan Yang, William K. Kelly, Stephen J. Freedland, Grace Lu-Yao

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Older adults with advanced prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes mellitus are underrepresented in trials of androgen receptor pathway inhibitors. This study examined changes in unplanned hospitalization rates in patients receiving androgen receptor pathway inhibitors by type 2 diabetes mellitus status and assessed if unplanned hospitalization varies according to androgen receptor pathway inhibitors.

METHODS: This population-based study of advanced prostate cancer patients aged older than 66 years used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data. Prepost androgen receptor pathway inhibitor initiation changes and androgen receptor pathway inhibitor differences in unplanned hospitalization rates were estimated by adjusted incidence rate ratio with …

Risk Of Second Primary Lung Cancer Among Cancer Survivors Stratified By The Site Of First Primary Cancer And The Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility Status, Sara Nofal, Edwin J Ostrin, Jianjun Zhang, Jia Wu, Paul Scheet, Mara B Antonoff, John V Heymach, Iakovos Toumazis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Personal history of cancer is an independent risk factor for developing lung cancer. However, it is not considered in the current US lung cancer screening (LCS) guidelines. In this study, we assessed the risk of developing lung cancer among cancer survivors across 24 different sites of first primary cancer stratified by their LCS eligibility status. Using data from the Patient History Database at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we calculated and compared the cumulative incidence of second primary lung cancer, the overall and the LCS eligibility status-specific, stratified by the site of first primary cancer among cancer …

Oncogenic Effects Of Ecm Remodeling In Obesity And Breast Cancer, Mackenzie L. Hawes, Marcus A. Moody, Caroline R. Mccauley, Abigail G. Huddleston, Maansi Solanky, Dara H. Khosravi, Ayushi R. Patel, Ronald M. Lynch, Suresh K. Alahari, Bruce A. Bunnell, Jorge A. Belgodere, Van T. Hoang, Matthew E. Burow, Elizabeth C. Martin

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Extracellular matrix (ECM) components are key regulators in breast cancer progression, as ECM remodeling is essential for breast cancer cells to invade into surrounding tissue. This process is characterized by the alignment of fibrillar collagens, breakdown of basement membrane components, and increased interstitial collagen stiffness. In patients with obesity, pre-existing ECM changes, including excessive collagen deposition and heightened matrix stiffness, mimic alterations detected in breast cancer. Given that obesity is a predictor of poor prognosis and resistance to treatment in breast cancer, it is crucial to understand how ECM conditioned by obesity affects disease outcomes. In this review, we highlight …

Human Interpretable Grammar Encodes Multicellular Systems Biology Models To Democratize Virtual Cell Laboratories, Jeanette A I Johnson, Daniel R Bergman, Heber L Rocha, David L Zhou, Eric Cramer, Ian C Mclean, Yoseph W Dance, Max Booth, Zachary Nicholas, Tamara Lopez-Vidal, Atul Deshpande, Randy Heiland, Elmar Bucher, Fatemeh Shojaeian, Matthew Dunworth, André Forjaz, Michael Getz, Inês Godet, Furkan Kurtoglu, Melissa Lyman, John Metzcar, Jacob T Mitchell, Andrew Raddatz, Jacobo Solorzano, Aneequa Sundus, Yafei Wang, David G Denardo, Andrew J Ewald, Daniele M Gilkes, Luciane T Kagohara, Ashley L Kiemen, Elizabeth D Thompson, Denis Wirtz, Laura D Wood, Pei-Hsun Wu, Neeha Zaidi, Lei Zheng, Jacquelyn W Zimmerman, Jude M Phillip, Elizabeth M Jaffee, Joe W Gray, Lisa M Coussens, Young Hwan Chang, Laura M Heiser, Genevieve L Stein-O'Brien, Elana J Fertig, Paul Macklin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cells interact as dynamically evolving ecosystems. While recent single-cell and spatial multi-omics technologies quantify individual cell characteristics, predicting their evolution requires mathematical modeling. We propose a conceptual framework-a cell behavior hypothesis grammar-that uses natural language statements (cell rules) to create mathematical models. This enables systematic integration of biological knowledge and multi-omics data to generate in silico models, enabling virtual "thought experiments" that test and expand our understanding of multicellular systems and generate new testable hypotheses. This paper motivates and describes the grammar, offers a reference implementation, and demonstrates its use in developing both de novo mechanistic models and those informed …

Silvestrol Inhibits Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells And Synergizes With Cx‑5461: Insights From A Proteomics Study, Maelinda Daker, Munirah Ahmad, Alan Khoo, Lu Ping Tan, Siok-Fong Chin, Siaw San Hwang, Paul Neilsen

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a cancer arising from the epithelial cells of the nasopharynx, which is rare in Western countries but extremely prevalent in Borneo and the Southern China region. Present-day hurdles in NPC treatment that lead to poor quality of life and poor survival include distant metastasis and resistance to chemoradiotherapy. Silvestrol and its 5'''-epimer, episilvestrol, are compounds isolated from the plant Aglaia stellatopilosa, which is endemic to Borneo. Silvestrol, a protein synthesis inhibitor, preferentially inhibits the translation of cancer-associated mRNAs. CX-5461 is an inhibitor of RNA polymerase I that catalyzes rRNA synthesis. The present study sought to …

Beyond Smoking: A Geospatial Investigation Of Factors Associated With Lung And Bronchus Cancer Risk In Pennsylvania, Tesla D. Dubois, Daniel Wiese, Kevin A. Henry, Shannon M. Lynch

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: While smoking is the leading cause of lung and bronchus cancer (LBC), additional exposures have been implicated and may explain the rise in LBC among never-smokers. To better understand the spatial distribution of LBC incidence and associated risk factors, this study aims to identify geographic areas with significantly elevated incidence rates in Pennsylvania and investigate the potential underlying risk factors.

METHODS: Using cancer registry data aggregated to the census tract level, spatial scan statistics were applied to detect areas of higher-than-expected LBC incidence across the state. Associations were then tested between census tract inclusion in a high-incidence area and …

Radiologic Findings Of A Mediastinal Mass With Pleural Fluid Cytologic Analysis: A Case Report Of Recurrent Mantle-Cell Lymphoma, Mark Cwajna, Zaain Ahmad, Evan Basha, Emily Maggioncalda, Shehbaz Ahmad, Joel Thompson

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

This case report details a 69-year-old male who presented with a right-sided pleural effusion and a mediastinal mass that was ultimately identified as recurrent mantle-cell lymphoma, occurring over 20 years after his initial diagnosis. Imaging findings discussed include chest radiograph and chest, abdomen and pelvis computed tomography depicting the mass compressing on various neighboring structures.

Radiologic Evaluation And Management Of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma With Tumor Thrombus Extension Into Right Atrium, Zaain Ahmad, Mark Cwajna, Evan Basha, Adithya Bala, Joel Thompson

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

This case report discusses the radiologic evaluation, histopathology, and management of a 67-year-old female with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) extending as a tumor thrombus into the right atrium. The patient had newly developed hematuria that was not followed up with the recommended imaging modality. Months later, the patient presented to the emergency department with progressive hematuria in addition to symptoms of dyspnea and significant weight loss. Initial CT imaging revealed a large renal mass with metastasis to the liver and lungs, along with tumor thrombus invading the inferior vena cava and right atrium. Histopathologic evaluation confirmed metastatic RCC and …

Nuak Kinases: Signaling Mechanisms And Therapeutic Applications, Nicole M. Cullen, Peter Rosston, Bakhtawar Tufail, Anne E. D'Armond, Ayushi Patel, Dara H. Khosravi, Bridgette M. Collins-Burow, Van T. Hoang, Elizabeth C. Martin, David H. Drewry, Matthew E. Burow, Suresh K. Alahari

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The novel (nua) kinases 1 and 2 are two of 12 AMP-activated protein–related kinases whose signaling pathways are involved in cancer progression, as well as neurologic, fibrotic, and inflammatory diseases. Currently, there are 80 Food and Drug Administration-approved kinase inhibitors which target roughly 24 of the 500+ known human kinases, leaving most kinases underexplored, including NUAK1 and NUAK2. Thus, there is a critical need for selective inhibition of NUAK1 and NUAK2 signaling. Here, we review the protein structure, known upstream regulators and downstream targets, and expression profiles of NUAK1 and NUAK2 in cancerous compared to noncancerous tissue. We also delineate …

Genotype Distribution Of Human Papillomavirus Among Women With Cervical Cancer Stratified By Hiv Status In Tanzania, Alita Mrema, Mamsau Ngoma, Emmanuel L. Lugina, Atukuzwe Kahakwa, Chacha Josiah Mwita, Salama Iddy, Eulade Rugengamizi, Kandali Samwel, John Ngowi, Salum J. Lidenge, Charles Wood, Julius Mwaiselage

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background Cervical cancer (CC) is the leading cancer among women in Tanzania, especially among those between the ages of 15 and 44. The prevalence of high-risk Human papillomavirus (HR-HPV)-16/18 women in the general population at any given time is 3.3%. HR-HPVs 16 or 18 are the primary cause of CC. The distribution of HPV genotypes among women with CC according to HIV status is unknown in Tanzania. This study aimed to determine the HPV genotype distribution according to HIV status among women with CC in Tanzania. Methods This cross-sectional study was done at Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Tanzania …

Evolution Of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma From Precursor Lesion Stem Cells, Wa Xian, Shan Wang, Jingzhong Xie, Yusuke Yamamoto, Melina Khorrami, Yanting Zhang, Raul Caballero Montes, Caycel Desales, Melika Khorrami, Zaal Mory, Ashley Hoffman, Amber Su, Crystal Nguyen, Peter J A Davies, Clifford Stephan, Shuang Pan, Wengen Wu, Yuxin Liu, Jeremy Siegelman, Rebecca E Waters, William A Ross, Shumei Song, Mark Metersky, David G Beer, Christopher P Crum, Alexander J Stewart, Matthew Vincent, Richard Russell, Robert A Izard, Khek Yu Ho, Jack Hung-Sen Lai, William W Bachovchin, Jaffer A Ajani, Frank D Mckeon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background & aims: Metastatic cancers arise from a decades-long succession of increasingly virulent precursor lesions, each of which represents prospective targets for therapeutic intervention. This evolutionary process has been particularly vivid in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), as this cancer and associated precursor lesions, including Barrett's esophagus (BE), low-grade dysplasia (LGD), and high-grade dysplasia (HGD), coexist in an accessible, 2-dimensional pattern in esophageal mucosa. Given the durability of these precursor lesions, it is likely that they, like EAC, rely on stem cells for their regenerative growth. To assess the role of stem cells in the evolution of EAC, we apply technology that …

Fractional Flow Reserve From Coronary Ct: Evidence, Applications, And Future Directions, Arta Kasaeian, Mohadese Ahmadzade, Taylor Hoffman, Mohammad Ghasemi-Rad, Anoop Padoor Ayyappan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has emerged as the leading noninvasive imaging modality for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), offering high-resolution visualization of the coronary anatomy and plaque characterization. The development of fractional flow reserve derived from CCTA (FFR-CT) has further transformed the diagnostic landscape by enabling the simultaneous evaluation of both anatomical stenosis and lesion-specific ischemia. FFR-CT has demonstrated diagnostic accuracy comparable to invasive FFR. The combined use of CCTA and FFR-CT is now pivotal in a broad range of clinical scenarios, including the evaluation of stable and acute chest pain, assessment of high-risk and complex plaque …

Investigating The Necessity Of Adaptive Radiotherapy In Tomotherapy Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients, Ali Chaparian, Mahsa Kianinia, Mahnaz Roayaei, Nadia Najafizade, Abolfazl Kanani, Leili Mahani, Hamidreza Nourzadeh

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Anatomical variations that occur during radiation therapy in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients can lead to significant dosimetric changes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate dosimetric and volume changes in key anatomical structures for different treatment sites in HNC patients, and to determine the percentage of patients who need adaptive radiotherapy (ART) per treatment site.

METHODS: A total of 1,740 megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) images from 58 HNC patients treated with helical tomotherapy (HT) were exported to the PreciseART™ (Accuray) software. Volume changes in the planning target volume (PTV) and the organs at risk (OARs) in …

Factors Associated With Self-Report Symptom Screening Adherence In Pediatric Cancer Patients, L. Lee Dupuis, Emily Vettese, Catherine Aftandilian, Vibhuti Agarwal, Christina Baggott, Scott M. Bradfield, Nicole Crellin-Parsons, David R. Freyer, Kara M. Kelly, Allison A. King, Wade Kyono, Ramamoorthy Nagasubramanian, Etan Orgel, Michael E. Roth, Farha Sherani, Lolie Yu, Allison C. Grimes, Melissa P. Beauchemin, Lisa M. Klesges, George A. Tomlinson, Lillian Sung

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Objective was to describe the association between baseline characteristics and the number of Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi) assessments completed over an 8-week period. Methods: This was a sub-analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial among 10 sites that were randomized to the intervention group. Participants were English- or Spanish-speaking pediatric patients 8–18 years of age newly diagnosed with cancer. Participants were prompted to complete SSPedi three times weekly for 8 weeks. The outcome was the number of SSPedi assessments completed during the 8-week period. Factors associated with the number of assessments were determined using mixed effects Poisson …

Effects Of Maackia Amurensis Seed Lectin (Masl) On Oscc Cell Morphology, Pdpn Expression, Growth, And Motility In A Phase 1 Clinical Trial, Ariel C Yin, Cayla J Holdcraft, Tyler J Hellmig, Eamonn J Brace, David I Suster, Alan J Shienbaum, Dylan Roden, Evelyne Kalyoussef, Ghayoour Mir, Eugenio Capitle, Soly Baredes, Rabie M Shanti, Mika K Kaneko, Yukinari Kato, Hisataka Kobayashi, Aki Furusawa, Mahnaz Fatahzadeh, Gary S Goldberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Podoplanin (PDPN) has emerged as a functionally relevant biomarker and chemotherapeutic target expressed by OSCC cells. PDPN signaling can directly increase tumor cell invasion and metastasis, and also inhibit host lymphocyte activation and immune response. Accordingly, antibodies and Maackia amurensis seed lectin (MASL) can target the PDPN receptor to inhibit OSCC cell migration and viability. However, the effects of MASL on OSCC cells in oral cancer patients has not yet been reported.

METHODS: We conducted a Phase 1 human clinical trial to examine the effects of a single 100 mg oral dose of MASL on OSCC cell morphology, PDPN …

Case Report: Solitary Adrenal Metastasis From Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, Riddhi Machchhar, Ahmed Dawood Al Mahrizi, Fatima Mossolem, Mariam Abdeen, Ujjwala Jain, Jyotibala Jain, Prashant Desai

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Solitary adrenal metastasis from a primary esophageal malignancy is relatively rare. While there are case reports of aggressive treatment with esophagectomy and adrenalectomy providing long-term survival, the treatment paradigm is not well defined. Complications from esophageal adenocarcinoma and its treatment can significantly impact the patient's quality of life and prognosis.

CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was treated with systemic therapy and, although he initially had a complete response, he later experienced local disease progression along with the development of additional metastatic sites. The patient began FOLFOX, a standard chemotherapy regimen for esophageal/gastric cancer. He experienced side effects such as fever, …

Novel Piperidone And Bispidine Derivatives: A New Approach In Cancer Therapy, Lereen Khaled Youssry

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer remains the second leading cause of death worldwide. As a result, scientists have been trying to find novel therapeutic approaches that target specific metabolic pathways selective to tumor cells. In this study, two novel piperidone and bispidine derivatives, organic molecules that target polyamine metabolism, were synthesized, and their potential cytotoxic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were investigated. Polyamines are naturally occurring metabolites that were reported to be in excess at cancer cells and were accounted for tumor proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Accordingly, the novel piperidone and bispidine derivatives were expected to disrupt tumor growth and progression via up-regulation of key …

Optimizing Stereotactic Intracranial Neoplasm Treatment: A Systematic Review Of Pet Integration With Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, Robert C. Subtirelu, Eric M. Teichner, Milo Writer, Kevin Bryan, Shiv Patil, Talha Khan, Lancelot Herpin, Raj N. Patel, Emily Christner, Chitra Parikh, Thomas Werner, Abass Alavi, Mona-Elisabeth Revheim

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

OBJECTIVE: Traditional imaging modalities for the planning of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) are non-specific and do not accurately delineate intracranial neoplasms. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) for the planning of GKRS for intracranial neoplasms (ICNs) and the post-GKRS applications of PET for patient care.

METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect were searched in order to assemble relevant studies regarding the uses of PET in conjunction with GKRS for ICN treatment. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed to identify relevant studies on the use of PET in conjunction with …

First-In-Human Phase I Open-Label Study Of The Anti-Tim-3 Monoclonal Antibody Incagn02390 In Patients With Select Advanced Or Metastatic Solid Tumors, Martin E. Gutierrez, Shou Ching Tang, John D. Powderly, Ani S. Balmanoukian, Paul E. Hoyle, Zhiwan Dong, Lulu Cheng, Xiaohua Gong, John E. Janik, Nawel Bourayou, Omid Hamid

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein-3 (TIM-3) is an immune checkpoint receptor upregulated during anti-programmed death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy for cancer. TIM-3 blockade may improve the antitumor activity of PD-1/PD-L1inhibition. This phase 1 study evaluated INCAGN02390, a novel, fully human Fc-engineered antibody against TIM-3. Methods INCAGN02390 was evaluated by dose escalation at 10-1600 mg infused in 14-day cycles (every 2 weeks [Q2W]) in pretreated patients with select advanced/metastatic immunogenic solid tumors. Objectives included evaluation of safety/tolerability and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) (primary), pharmacokinetics, preliminary antitumor activity, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity (secondary). Results Forty patients were enrolled and …

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates For Patients Without Insurance, Andrea F. Day

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (U.S.), ranking as second most prevalent overall. Despite many initiatives, screening rates remain low, especially among clinic patients without insurance. The lack of an evidence-based screening protocol exacerbates these issues and increases the risk of advanced cancer and death. Initial data showed that 0% of patients were screened according to recommended guidelines.

Purpose: The project implemented a standard screening protocol to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in a rural Alabama free clinic for patients ages 45-64 lacking insurance.

Project Design: This quality improvement …