Medical Specialties Commons^™

Mutation Signature Analysis Identifies Increased Mutation Caused By Tobacco Smoke Associated Dna Adducts In Larynx Squamous Cell Carcinoma Compared With Oral Cavity And Oropharynx., Andrew P. South, Nicoline Y Den Breems, Tony Richa, Uche Nwagu, Tingting Zhan, Shiv Poojan, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Jennifer M. Johnson, Adam J. Luginbuhl, Joseph Curry

Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds

Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) arise from mucosal keratinocytes of the upper aero-digestive tract. Despite a common cell of origin and similar driver-gene mutations which divert cell fate from differentiation to proliferation, HNSCC are considered a heterogeneous group of tumors categorized by site of origin within the aero-digestive mucosa, and the presence or absence of HPV infection. Tobacco use is a major driver of carcinogenesis in HNSCC and is a poor prognosticator that has previously been associated with poor immune cell infiltration and higher mutation numbers. Here, we study patterns of mutations in HNSCC that are …

Reconciling Incongruencies: Examining The Meaning And Influencing Factors Of Oncology Nurses' Professional Quality Of Life, Rebecca Lynne Boni

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nurses often witness suffering and loss. These experiences are intrinsic to the practice of nursing and can exert a strong, cumulative effect on nurses’ professional quality of life (QOL). Stamm (2010b) conceptualizes professional QOL as a composite of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. Inferior professional QOL has been linked to numerous negative healthcare outcomes. Oncology nurses are particularly vulnerable to compassion fatigue. The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), created by Stamm (2009), is the current survey used to measure professional QOL, but it may not be specific enough for oncology nurses.

The purpose of this grounded theory study was …

Synthesis Of Gadolinium-Doxorubicin Prodrug Carrying Functional Nanoceria For The Targeted Drug Delivery And Cancer Treatment, Arth Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The main focus of this research was the development of a polymer-coated nanoceria (PNC) platform to be used as a drug delivery system. Water-dispersible PNC is synthesized using a water-based alkaline precipitation method. Cerium nitrate hexahydrate and poly (acrylic acid) are used for the preparation of PNC. The synthesized PNC was characterized using ZETA, and UV- Vis characterization techniques. Polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated cerium oxide nanoparticles fabricated for the targeted combination therapy of TNBC (MDA-MB-231) and MCF-7. Using EDC/NHS chemistry, the surface carboxylic acid groups of nanoceria was designed and synthesized with ICAM-1 antibody to target ICAM-1 overexpressing TNBC. Next, doxorubicin …

Iris Metastasis As The Initial Presentation Of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Carcinoma: A Case Report, M A Rehman Siddiqui, Syed Zohaib Maroof Hussain, Muhammed Mubarak

Section of Ophthalmology

Background: We report a case of a patient with iris metastasis as the initial manifestation of a systemic cancer: upper gastrointestinal tract carcinoma.
Case presentation: A 24-year-old Asian man presented to our hospital with complaints of red left eye, decreased visual acuity, pain, and photophobia for about 3 weeks with no prior history of cancer or any other medical abnormality. Ocular examination showed a pinkish white lesion on the superonasal part of the iris. The patient's intraocular pressure was progressively increasing despite medications, followed by lymphadenopathy 4 weeks later. Comprehensive examination was performed along with a complete systemic workup, which …

Disaggregated Hispanic Groups And Cancer: Importance, Methodology, And Current Knowledge, Paulo S. Pinheiro, Karen E. Callahan, Erin N. Kobetz

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinos/Hispanics, the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States. Their cancer burden has nearly doubled in 15 years, with 129,000 new cancer cases nationwide in 2014. As this relatively young Hispanic population ages, this burden will inevitably increase; thus, accurate characterization of the Hispanic cancer experience is critical. In this chapter, we summarize the current knowledge on cancer in Hispanics, with a focus on the imperative of disaggregating by specific Hispanic group (Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Central Americans, South Americans, and Dominicans) and nativity. We also describe for the first time …

Metastatic Melanoma Of The Gallbladder Presenting As Polyp In Acute Cholecystitis., Nirvana B Saraswat, William B Devoe

Oncology Articles

Malignant melanoma is an aggressive neural crest cell-derived neoplasm with a propensity for metastasis to almost any organ. Gastrointestinal metastasis may manifest as gallbladder polyps. We report a case of metastatic malignant melanoma diagnosed in an 81-year-old male after cholecystectomy performed for acute cholecystitis. Cholecystectomy remains the standard of care for treatment of isolated gallbladder metastasis, especially in the setting of symptomatic disease. Mutation-directed chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic modalities serve as efficacious adjunctive therapy in addition to primary surgical resection for this rare condition.

Interaction Of The Oncoprotein Transcription Factor Myc With Its Chromatin Cofactor Wdr5 Is Essential For Tumor Maintenance., Lance R. Thomas, Clare M. Adams, Jing Wang, April M. Weissmiller, Joy Creighton, Shelly L. Lorey, Qi Liu, Stephen W. Fesik, Christine M. Eischen, William P. Tansey

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

The oncoprotein transcription factor MYC is overexpressed in the majority of cancers. Key to its oncogenic activity is the ability of MYC to regulate gene expression patterns that drive and maintain the malignant state. MYC is also considered a validated anticancer target, but efforts to pharmacologically inhibit MYC have failed. The dependence of MYC on cofactors creates opportunities for therapeutic intervention, but for any cofactor this requires structural understanding of how the cofactor interacts with MYC, knowledge of the role it plays in MYC function, and demonstration that disrupting the cofactor interaction will cause existing cancers to regress. One cofactor …

Optimizing Cancer Cure Dialog: An Analysis Of Pancreatic Cancer Patients' Views Regarding Survival And Cure., Avinoam Nevler, Scott W. Keith, Harish Lavu, Theresa P. Yeo, Shawnna Cannaday, Charles J. Yeo, Jordan M. Winter

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly lethal cancer. Clinicians commonly refer to surgical therapy as resection with curative intent. However, PDA cure rates after resection remain unknown and the definition of cure remains vague. We investigated how patients (the majority undergoing resection), family members, and clinicians understand the concept of cure, to better inform discussions with patients regarding PDA prognosis.

METHODS: In a prospective survey, cohorts were asked to indicate the best definition of cure from three choices: 5-year survival endpoint (typically used in the literature), a biological endpoint without biochemical or radiographic signs of disease (similar to …

Prognostic Nomogram For Bladder Cancer With Brain Metastases: A National Cancer Database Analysis., Zhixian Yao, Zhong Zheng, Wu Ke, Renjie Wang, Xingyu Mu, Feng Sun, Xiang Wang, Shivank Garg, Wenyin Shi, Yinyan He, Zhihong Liu

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish and validate a nomogram for predicting brain metastasis in patients with bladder cancer (BCa) and assess various treatment modalities using a primary cohort comprising 234 patients with clinicopathologically-confirmed BCa from 2004 to 2015 in the National Cancer Database.

METHODS: Machine learning method and Cox model were used for nomogram construction. For BCa patients with brain metastasis, surgery of the primary site, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, palliative care, brain confinement of metastatic sites, and the Charlson/Deyo Score were predictive features identified for building the nomogram.

RESULTS: For the original 169 patients considered in the model, the …

Ramucirumab: A New Agent For Advanced Or Metastatic Gastric Junction Adenocarcinoma, Adam Smith, Rebecca Worden, Jessica Hoffert, Brendon Rasor, Hannah Stewart, David Koh

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Ramucirumab (Cyramza®), approved April 21, 2014, is a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) antagonist with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indication for the treatment of advanced or metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Gastric cancer is a prevalent cancer in the United States with a poor prognosis. The phase 3 trial, REGARD, shows that ramucirumab, when used within four months after the last dose of first-line chemotherapy or six months after the last dose of adjuvant chemotherapy, increases overall survival. Also, ramucirumab has been included in combination therapy, such as in the RAINBOW trial, which demonstrated its effectiveness …

Management Of Breakthrough Pain In Cancer Patients: Traditional And Novel Approaches, Courtney Porter, Nathaniel Hedrick, Katherine Salay, Lacey Shumate, Caitlin Swann, Kelly Reilly Kroustos

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Approximately 80 percent of career patients experience breakthrough pain (BTP) characterized by acute onset, short duration, and moderate-to-severe intensity. Treatment of BTP using current available medications is often insufficient, leading to the development of various novel approaches that focus on rapid onset of action and short duration of action. Most of these products are still in clinical trials, and future studies are needed to compare the novel approaches to currently available treatments. Non-medication related issues, which arise from a lack of communication and understanding between the patient, physician and pharmacist, are also barriers to adequate BTP management. By educating patients …

Options For Breast Cancer Prevention In High-Risk Patients, Ashley M. Overy, Lacey A. Shumate, Sarah M. Webb, Ashley E. Lehnert, Monica A. Weisenberger, Whitney N. Detillion, Andrew M. Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in women, and one in eight women will develop breast cancer within their Iifetimes. Unfortunately, the strongest risk factors for breast cancer (i.e. age, family history, hormonal factors) are not easily modified. There is some evidence that chemopreventative drugs may be able to prevent breast cancer in high-risk patients. Tamoxifen and raloxifene have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer in high-risk women but may be associated with several serious adverse events. Clinical trials are currently in progress to determine if aromatase inhibitors are a viable alternative for breast …

The Black Identity, Hair Product Use, And Breast Cancer Scale, Dede Teteh, Marissa Ericson, Sabine Monice, Lenna Dawkins-Moultin, Nasim Bahadorani, Phyllis Clark, Eudora Mitchell, Lindsey S. Treviño, Adana Llanos, Rick Kittles, Susanne Montgomery

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Introduction
Across the African Diaspora, hair is synonymous with identity. As such, Black women use a variety of hair products, which often contain more endocrine-disrupting chemicals than products used by women of other races. An emerging body of research is linking chemicals in hair products to breast cancer, but there is no validated instrument that measures constructs related to hair, identity, and breast health. The objective of this study was to develop and validate the Black Identity, Hair Product Use, and Breast Cancer Scale (BHBS) in a diverse sample of Black women to measure the social and cultural constructs associated …

A Case Of Ccdc6-Ret Fusion Mutation In Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (All), A Known Activating Mutation Reported In All, Mateo Mejia Saldarriaga, Amir Steinberg, Eric A. Severson, Adam Binder

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

We report the case of a patient with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) who was found to harbor a gene fusion involving the CCDC6 and RET genes. Although the RET mutations have been identified before in othermalignancies, and it is thought to represent a driver mutation in these neoplasms, it has yet to be described in ALL. The identification of known fusion genes conferring activating tyrosine kinase activity in neoplasms can suggest potential therapeutic role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), an approach that has been exploited in several other fusion genes.

Chronic Muscle Weakness And Mitochondrial Dysfunction In The Absence Of Sustained Atrophy In A Preclinical Sepsis Model, Allison M. Owen, Samir P. Patel, Jeffrey D. Smith, Beverly K. Balasuriya, Stephanie F. Mori, Gregory S. Hawk, Arnold J. Stromberg, Naohide Kuriyama, Masao Kaneki, Alexander G. Rabchevsky, Timothy A. Butterfield, Karyn A. Esser, Charlotte A. Peterson, Marlene E. Starr, Hiroshi Saito

Physiology Faculty Publications

Chronic critical illness is a global clinical issue affecting millions of sepsis survivors annually. Survivors report chronic skeletal muscle weakness and development of new functional limitations that persist for years. To delineate mechanisms of sepsis-induced chronic weakness, we first surpassed a critical barrier by establishing a murine model of sepsis with ICU-like interventions that allows for the study of survivors. We show that sepsis survivors have profound weakness for at least 1 month, even after recovery of muscle mass. Abnormal mitochondrial ultrastructure, impaired respiration and electron transport chain activities, and persistent protein oxidative damage were evident in the muscle of …

Phase Iib, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Of Gc4419 Versus Placebo To Reduce Severe Oral Mucositis Due To Concurrent Radiotherapy And Cisplatin For Head And Neck Cancer., Carryn M Anderson, Christopher M Lee, Deborah P Saunders, Amarinthia Curtis, Neal Dunlap, Chaitali Nangia, Arielle S Lee, Sharon M Gordon, Philip Kovoor, Roberto Arevalo-Araujo, Voichita Bar-Ad, Abhinand Peddada, Kyle Colvett, Douglas Miller, Anshu K Jain, James Wheeler, Dukagjin Blakaj, Marcelo Bonomi, Sanjiv S Agarwala, Madhur Garg, Francis Worden, Jon Holmlund, Jeffrey M Brill, Matt Downs, Stephen T Sonis, Sanford Katz, John M Buatti

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

PURPOSE: Oral mucositis (OM) remains a common, debilitating toxicity of radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer. The goal of this phase IIb, multi-institutional, randomized, double-blind trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of GC4419, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, with placebo to reduce the duration, incidence, and severity of severe OM (SOM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 223 patients (from 44 institutions) with locally advanced oral cavity or oropharynx cancer planned to be treated with definitive or postoperative intensity-modulated RT (IMRT; 60 to 72 Gy [≥ 50 Gy to two or more oral sites]) plus cisplatin (weekly …

Epigenetic Hypomethylation And Upregulation Of Gd3s In Triple Negative Breast Cancer., Wan Li, Xiangjin Zheng, Liwen Ren, Weiqi Fu, Jinyi Liu, Jun Xv, Shiwei Liu, Jinhua Wang, Guanhua Du

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Background: Breast cancer remains a major health problem in the world. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with very poor prognosis. Up to now, the mechanism behind TNBC's activity is still unclear and no candidate drug target has been identified. Thus, it is of critical importance to elucidate the pathways in TNBC and identify the relevant biomarkers. Recent studies showed that ganglioside D3 synthase (GD3s) played a very important role in development of cancers. However, the physiological functions and associated pathways of GD3s in TNBC are still unclear.

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions: In summary, these results suggest that GD3s …

Phase Iib, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Of Gc4419 Versus Placebo To Reduce Severe Oral Mucositis Due To Concurrent Radiotherapy And Cisplatin For Head And Neck Cancer., Carryn M. Anderson, Christopher M Lee, Deborah P. Saunders, Amarinthia Curtis, Neal Dunlap, Chaitali Nangia, Arielle S. Lee, Sharon M. Gordon, Philip Kovoor, Roberto Arevalo-Araujo, Voichita Bar-Ad, Abhinand Peddada, Kyle Colvett, Douglas Miller, Anshu K. Jain, James Wheeler, Dukagjin Blakaj, Marcelo Bonomi, Sanjiv S. Agarwala, Madhur Garg, Francis Worden, Jon Holmlund, Jeffrey M. Brill, Matt Downs, Stephen T. Sonis, Sanford Katz, John M. Buatti

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Oral mucositis (OM) remains a common, debilitating toxicity of radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer. The goal of this phase IIb, multi-institutional, randomized, double-blind trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of GC4419, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, with placebo to reduce the duration, incidence, and severity of severe OM (SOM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 223 patients (from 44 institutions) with locally advanced oral cavity or oropharynx cancer planned to be treated with definitive or postoperative intensity-modulated RT (IMRT; 60 to 72 Gy [≥ 50 Gy to two or more oral sites]) plus cisplatin (weekly …

Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Review, Luke Geierman

Honors Projects

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most commonly diagnosed pediatric cancer and the most frequent cancer-induced cause of death among young people. Despite this fact, tremendous progress in treating the disease has been made in the last 50 years. This systematic literature review examines the incidence of the disease as well as the importance of risk stratification in treatment planning. The role of genetics in ALL risk stratification, specifically hypodiploidy and hyperdiploidy, is also considered. Finally, current treatment protocols, treatment failure, and the future of research and treatments are all each examined.

Efficient And Robust Nk-Cell Transduction With Baboon Envelope Pseudotyped Lentivector., Aurelien B L Colamartino, William Lemieux, Panojot Bifsha, Simon Nicoletti, Nitin Chakravarti, Joaquín Sanz, Hugo Roméro, Silvia Selleri, Kathie Béland, Mélanie Guiot, Camille Tremblay-Laganière, Renée Dicaire, Luis Barreiro, Dean A Lee, Els Verhoeyen, Elie Haddad

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

NK-cell resistance to transduction is a major technical hurdle for developing NK-cell immunotherapy. By using Baboon envelope pseudotyped lentiviral vectors (BaEV-LVs) encoding eGFP, we obtained a transduction rate of 23.0 ± 6.6% (mean ± SD) in freshly-isolated human NK-cells (FI-NK) and 83.4 ± 10.1% (mean ± SD) in NK-cells obtained from the NK-cell Activation and Expansion System (NKAES), with a sustained transgene expression for at least 21 days. BaEV-LVs outperformed Vesicular Stomatitis Virus type-G (VSV-G)-, RD114- and Measles Virus (MV)- pseudotyped LVs (p < 0.0001). mRNA expression of both BaEV receptors, ASCT1 and ASCT2, was detected in FI-NK and NKAES, with higher expression in NKAES. Transduction with BaEV-LVs encoding for CAR-CD22 resulted in robust CAR-expression on 38.3 ± 23.8% (mean ± SD) of NKAES cells, leading to specific killing of NK-resistant pre-B-ALL-RS4;11 cell line. Using a larger vector encoding a dual CD19/CD22-CAR, we were able to transduce and re-expand dual-CAR-expressing NKAES, even with lower viral titer. These dual-CAR-NK efficiently killed both CD19KO- and CD22KO-RS4;11 cells. Our results suggest that BaEV-LVs may efficiently enable NK-cell biological studies and translation of NK-cell-based immunotherapy to the clinic.

Management Of Retinoblastoma In Older Children (>5 Years) Using Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy: Comparison Of Outcomes To Prechemotherapy And Intravenous Chemotherapy Eras., Evan B. Selzer, R. Joel Welch, Pascal Jabbour, Ann M. Leahey, Carol L. Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Purpose: Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) has emerged as an effective treatment for retinoblastoma (RB) however, little information exists regarding its use in older patients (>5 years). In the present study, we evaluate the use of IAC (2008-2018) for RB in older patients and compare the outcomes to those in the prechemotherapy (<1994) and intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) (1994-2007) eras.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients older than 5 years treated with IAC for RB from 2008-2018. Comparisons were made to 26 active RB cases in older children treated in the prechemotherapy era and to 12 active RB cases treated in the IVC era.

Results: There were …

Identification And Molecular Analysis Of Dna In Exosomes, Jena Tavormina

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Exosomes are heterogeneous nanoparticles 50-150nm in diameter. Exosomes contain many functional cargo components, such as protein, DNA, and RNA. While protein and RNA exosome content has been extensively studied, very little work has been done to characterize exosomal DNA. Here, we demonstrate that exosomal DNA is heterogeneous and its packaging into exosomes is dependent on the cell of origin. Furthermore, through a rigorous assessment of various isolation methods, we identify Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) as the best method for the isolation of exosomal DNA for downstream applications. Additionally, we evaluate the methylation status of exosomal DNA and demonstrate that exosomal …

Phase Iii Randomized Trial Of Chemotherapy With Or Without Bevacizumab In Patients With Recurrent Or Metastatic Head And Neck Cancer., Athanassios Argiris, Shuli Li, Panayiotis Savvides, James P. Ohr, Jill Gilbert, Marshall A. Levine, Arnab Chakravarti, Missak Haigentz, Nabil F. Saba, Chukwuemeka V. Ikpeazu, Charles J. Schneider, Harlan A. Pinto, Arlene A. Forastiere, Barbara Burtness

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: We evaluated the addition of bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor, to platinum-based chemotherapy in recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with chemotherapy-naïve (or with prior platinum as part of multimodal therapy completed ≥ 4 months earlier) recurrent or metastatic SCCHN were randomly assigned to receive a platinum-based chemotherapy doublet with or without bevacizumab 15 mg/kg given intravenously every 3 weeks until disease progression. Chemotherapy could be discontinued after six cycles if a maximum response was achieved.

RESULTS: The study randomly assigned 403 patients. …

From Lepidoptera To Uveal Melanoma: Finding My Career In Ocular Oncology., Jerry A Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

No abstract provided.

Tumors Of The Conjunctiva And Cornea., Carol L. Shields, Jerry A. Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Tumors of the conjunctiva and cornea comprise a large and varied spectrum of conditions. These tumors are grouped into two major categories of congenital and acquired lesions. The acquired lesions are further subdivided based on origin of the mass into surface epithelial, melanocytic, vascular, fibrous, neural, histiocytic, myxoid, myogenic, lipomatous, lymphoid, leukemic, metastatic and secondary tumors. Melanocytic lesions include nevus, racial melanosis, primary acquired melanosis, melanoma, and other ocular surface conditions like ocular melanocytosis and secondary pigmentary deposition. The most frequent nonmelanocytic neoplastic lesions include squamous cell carcinoma and lymphoma, both of which have typical features appreciated on clinical examination. …

Prognostication Of Uveal Melanoma Is Simple And Highly Predictive Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (Tcga) Classification: A Review., Carol L. Shields, Lauren A. Dalvin, Pornpattana Vichitvejpaisal, Mehdi Mazloumi, Arupa Ganguly, Jerry A. Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Purpose: The cancer genome atlas (TCGA) is a comprehensive project supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the United States to explore molecular alterations in cancer, including uveal melanoma (UM). This led to TCGA classification for UM. In this report, we review the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification and TCGA classification for UM from the NCI's Center for Cancer Genomics (NCI CCG) (based on enucleation specimens [n = 80 eyes]) and from Wills Eye Hospital (WEH) (based on fine needle aspiration biopsy [FNAB] specimens [n = 658 eyes]). We then compare accuracy and predictability of AJCC versus …

Association Between Gastroduodenal Ulcer And Age Of Diagnosis Of Head And Neck, Gastroduodenal And Pancreatic Cancer, Rukevwe Madusor

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and remains a major public health problem worldwide. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is linked to ulcers and most cancers. Although studies have investigated the role of IGF1 in ulcer healing and cancer pathogenesis, the link between ulcer and cancer remains unclear. Hence, we assessed the relationship between ulcers and cancers.

Methods: This study consists of a sample of 180 cancer patients obtain by convenience sampling who were seen at Nebraska Medicine and were enrolled in the integrated cancer repository for cancer …

Examining Racial & Ethnic Disparities In The Reach Of The Medicare Shared Savings Program, Lindsey Arneson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

It is important to understand the quality of health care for racial and ethnic minorities covered under the largest U.S. government-run insurance program, Medicare, because the demographics of the U.S. are becoming older and more diverse. A new value-based program under Medicare is the Shared Savings Program (MSSP), which creates incentives to improve care quality and health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with a specific focus on increasing the provision of preventive care services. This capstone project aims to understand the representation of racial/ethnic minority Medicare beneficiaries, namely African Americans/Blacks and Hispanics/Latinxs, that receive care from providers or facilities (i.e., Accountable …

Combined Modality Therapies For High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Narrative Review Of Current Understanding And New Directions., Benjamin A. Greenberger, Victor E. Chen, Robert B. Den

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Despite the many prospective randomized trials that have been available in the past decade regarding the optimization of radiation, hormonal, and surgical therapies for high-risk prostate cancer (PCa), many questions remain. There is currently a lack of level I evidence regarding the relative efficacy of radical prostatectomy (RP) followed by adjuvant radiation compared to radiation therapy (RT) combined with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for high-risk PCa. Current retrospective series have also described an improvement in biochemical outcomes and PCa-specific mortality through the use of augmented radiation strategies incorporating brachytherapy. The relative efficacy of modern augmented RT compared to RP is …

Pediatric Brainstem Gliomas: An Institutional Experience, Altaf Ali Laghari, Mirza Zain Baig, Muhammad Ehsan Bari, Aneela Darbar, Naureen Mushtaq, Umme E Hani Abdullah, Daniya Aziz Khan

Section of Neurosurgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical profiles and outcomes of pediatric brainstem gliomas treated at our institute.
Methodology: We reviewed the files of 18 pediatric age group patients diagnosed with brainstem glioma at our institution. The following variables were recorded: age, sex, duration of symptoms, date of diagnosis, main clinical symptoms, Karnofsky performance status score, magnetic resonance imaging findings, histopathology findings, details of the treatment given, disease progression, and date of mortality/last follow-up. This data were then transferred to SPSS version 23 which was used for further analysis.
Results: The mean age of our cohort …