Medical Specialties Commons^™

Management Of Distress In Adult Oncology Patients, Lauren Jongsma

Doctoral Projects

Cancer related distress has the potential to negatively impact the health of the patient and their treatment outcome (Grassi, Spiegel, & Riba, 2017). As identification and treatment of distress has a positive impact on patient outcomes; the Commission on Cancer (2016) required distress screening for accreditation. Key stakeholders within a Midwest hospital system expressed a desire for the improvement in the current state of the distress screening. Thus, the scholarly paper describes the key attributes of the organizational assessment, a literature review on evidence-based distress screening tool and a quality improvement project. The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health …

Health Effects Of A Vegan Diet And Pediatric Cancer Prevention, Lindsay Wisehart

Senior Honors Theses

Veganism is a diet which excludes consumption of all animal products. With proper planning and vitamin supplementation to ensure adequate intake of protein, fat, calcium, zinc, iron, and vitamins D and B12, a vegan diet is widely accepted as suitable for growing and developing children. The decreased levels of dairy, red and processed meats, fat, and protein, and increased levels of fruits and vegetables characteristic of a vegan diet have been shown to reduce risk of mortality and a number of diseases including adult and childhood cancer. Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of childhood death in Western society. …

Inotuzumab Ozogamicin In Pediatric Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia., Deepa Bhojwani, Richard Sposto, Nirali N. Shah, Vilmarie Rodriguez, Constance Yuan, Maryalice Stetler-Stevenson, Maureen M. O'Brien, Jennifer L. Mcneer, Amrana Quereshi, Aurelie Cabannes, Paul Schlegel, Claudia Rossig, Luciano Dalla-Pozza, Keith August, Sarah Alexander, Jean-Pierre Bourquin, Michel Zwaan, Elizabeth A. Raetz, Mignon L. Loh, Susan R. Rheingold

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Although inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) is recognized as an effective agent in relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults, data on safety and efficacy in pediatric patients are scarce. We report the use of InO in 51 children with relapsed/refractory ALL treated in the compassionate use program. In this heavily pretreated cohort, complete remission was achieved in 67% of patients with overt marrow disease. The majority (71%) of responders were negative for minimal residual disease. Responses were observed irrespective of cytogenetic subtype or number or type of prior treatment regimens. InO was well-tolerated; grade 3 hepatic transaminitis or hyperbilirubinemia were noted …

Long-Term Use Of Antibiotics And Risk Of Colorectal Adenoma, Yin Cao, Kana Wu, Raaj Mehta, David A. Drew, Mingyang Song, Paul Lochhead, Long H. Nguyen, Jacques Izard, Charles S. Fuchs, Wendy S. Garrett, Curtis Huttenhower, Shuji Ogino, Edward L. Giovannucci, Andrew T. Chan

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Recent evidence suggests that antibiotic use, which alters the gut microbiome, is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. However, the association between antibiotic use and risk of colorectal adenoma, the precursor for the majority of colorectal cancers, has not been investigated.

Design: We prospectively evaluated the association between antibiotic use at age 20–39 and 40–59 (assessed in 2004) and recent antibiotic use (assessed in 2008) with risk of subsequent colorectal adenoma among 16,642 women aged ≥ 60 enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study who underwent at least one colonoscopy through 2010. We used multivariate logistic …

Survival And Treatment Outcomes Of Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma: Single Tertiary Care Center Experience In Pakistan, Zarka Samoon, Madiha Beg, Romana Idress, Adnan Jabbar

Department of Radiation Oncology

Background: Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare disease with incidence of less than 1%. MBC present with a larger tumor size, less number of nodes involved, mostly undifferentiated triple negative tumors. We aimed to determine progression-free and overall survival and reported hospital-based incidence of MBC.
Material and Methods: A retrospective closed Cohort study elicited data of 42 patients with MBC from January 2008 to December 2013; followed till August 2016. Kaplan-Meier method was applied to compute overall and progression-free survival analysis. Cox Proportional hazard ratios were computed to assess associations between survival and independent variables.
Results: Hospital-based incidence of …

Guidance Of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Decisions In Patients With T1-T2 Melanoma Using Gene Expression Profiling., John T. Vetto, Eddy C. Hsueh, Brian R. Gastman, Larry D. Dillon, Federico A. Monzon, Robert W. Cook, Jennifer Keller, Xin Huang, Andrew Fleming, Preston Hewgley, Pedram Gerami, Sancy Leachman, Jeffrey D. Wayne, Adam C. Berger, Martin D. Fleming

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

AIM: Can gene expression profiling be used to identify patients with T1-T2 melanoma at low risk for sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity?

PATIENTS & METHODS: Bioinformatics modeling determined a population in which a 31-gene expression profile test predicted <5% SLN positivity. Multicenter, prospectively-tested (n = 1421) and retrospective (n = 690) cohorts were used for validation and outcomes, respectively.

RESULTS: Patients 55-64 years and ≥65 years with a class 1A (low-risk) profile had SLN positivity rates of 4.9% and 1.6%. Class 2B (high-risk) patients had SLN positivity rates of 30.8% and 11.9%. Melanoma-specific survival was 99.3% for patients ≥55 years with class 1A, T1-T2 tumors and 55.0% for class 2B, SLN-positive, T1-T2 tumors.

CONCLUSION: The 31-gene expression profile test identifies patients …

Development And Long-Term Stability Of A Comprehensive Daily Qa Program For A Modern Pencil Beam Scanning (Pbs) Proton Therapy Delivery System, Suresh Rana, Jaafar Bennouna, Alonso Gutierrez

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Suppression Of Hmgb1 Released In The Glioblastoma Tumor Microenvironment Reduces Tumoral Edema., Bangxing Hong, Kamaldeen Muili, Chelsea Bolyard, Luke Russell, Tae Jin Lee, Yeshavanth Banasavadi-Siddegowda, Ji Young Yoo, Yuanqing Yan, Leomar Y Ballester, Kurt H Bockhorst, Balveen Kaur

Oncology Articles

HMGB1 is a ubiquitously expressed intracellular protein that binds DNA and transcription factors and regulates chromosomal structure and function. Under conditions of cell death or stress, it is actively or passively released by cells into the extracellular environment, where it functions as damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) that orchestrates pro-inflammatory cytokine release and inflammation. Our results demonstrate that HMGB1 is secreted in the tumor microenvironment after oncolytic HSV (oHSV) infection in vitro and in vivo. The impact of secreted HMGB1 on tumor growth and response to oncolytic viral therapy was evaluated by using HMGB1-blocking antibodies in vitro and in mice …

Overall Survival By Clinical Risk Category For High Dose Interleukin-2 (Hd Il-2) Treated Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer (Mrcc): Data From The Proclaim, M Fishman, J P Dutcher, J I Clark, A Alva, G P Miletello, B Curti, Neeraj Agarwal, R Hauke, K M Mahoney, H Moon, J Treisman, S S Tykodi, G Daniels, M A Morse, M K K Wong, H Kaufman, N Gregory, D F Mcdermott

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Prognostic scoring systems are used to estimate the risk of mortality from metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Outcomes from different therapies may vary within each risk group. These survival algorithms have been applied to assess outcomes in patients receiving T-cell checkpoint inhibitory immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, but have not been applied extensively to patients receiving high dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) immunotherapy.

METHODS: Survival of 810 mRCC patients treated from 2006 to 2017 with high dose IL-2 (aldesleukin) and enrolled in the PROCLAIM

RESULTS: Among the 810 patients, 721 were treatment-naïve (89%) and 59% were intermediate risk. Overall, …

Kinase Suppressor Of Ras 1 And Exo70 Promote Fatty Acid-Stimulated Neurotensin Secretion Through Erk1/2 Signaling, Stephanie Rock, Xian Li, Jun Song, Courtney M. Townsend, Heidi L. Weiss, Piotr G. Rychahou, Tianyan Gao, Jing Li, B. Mark Evers

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Neurotensin is a peptide hormone released from enteroendocrine cells in the small intestine in response to fat ingestion. Although the mechanisms regulating neurotensin secretion are still incompletely understood, our recent findings implicate a role for extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1 and 2 as positive regulators of free fatty acid-stimulated neurotensin secretion. Previous studies have shown that kinase suppressor of Ras 1 acts as a molecular scaffold of the Raf/MEK/extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1 and 2 kinase cascade and regulates intensity and duration of extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1 and 2 signaling. Here, we demonstrate that inhibition of kinase suppressor of Ras 1 attenuates …

The Role Of Inhibition Of Apoptosis In Acute Leukemias And Myelodysplastic Syndrome., Amanda Mcbride, Sarah Houtmann, Lindsay Wilde, Carlos Vigil, Christine M. Eischen, Margaret Kasner, Neil Palmisiano

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Avoidance of apoptosis is a key mechanism that malignancies, including acute leukemias and MDS, utilize in order to proliferate and resist chemotherapy. Recently, venetoclax, an inhibitor of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2, has been approved for the treatment of upfront AML in an unfit, elderly population. This paper reviews the pre-clinical and clinical data for apoptosis inhibitors currently in development for the treatment of AML, ALL, and MDS.

The Flavonoid Metabolite 2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzoic Acid Is A Cdk Inhibitor And An Anti-Proliferative Agent: A Potential Role In Cancer Prevention, Ranjini Sankaranarayanan, Chaitanya K. Valiveti, Ramesh Kumar Dhandapani, Severine Van Slambrouck, Siddharth S. Kesharwani, Teresa Seefeldt, Joy Scaria, Hemachand Tummala, G. Jayarama Bhat

Entomology Faculty Publications

Flavonoids have emerged as promising compounds capable of preventing colorectal cancer (CRC) due to their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is hypothesized that the metabolites of flavonoids are primarily responsible for the observed anti-cancer effects owing to the unstable nature of the parent compounds and their degradation by colonic microflora. In this study, we investigated the ability of one metabolite, 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4,6-THBA) to inhibit Cyclin Dependent Kinase (CDK) activity and cancer cell proliferation. Using in vitro kinase assays, we demonstrated that 2,4,6-THBA dose-dependently inhibited CDKs 1, 2 and 4 and in silico studies identified key amino acids involved in …

Medical Decision Making Among Individuals With A Variant Of Uncertain Significance In A Hereditary Cancer Gene And Those With A Chek2 Pathogenic Variant, Deanna J. Almanza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite national guidelines, women with a BRCA VUS or CHEK2 pathogenic variant are choosing to have risk-reducing surgeries such as bilateral mastectomies which are not aligned with their level of cancer risk based on genetic test results alone. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 6 women with a BRCA VUS and 12 with a CHEK2 pathogenic variant exploring the factors influencing their decision-making process when considering medical management options. Patients from a cancer registry agreed to a recorded telephone interview. Coding was performed using the main constructs from the Ottawa Patient Decision Guide including: knowledge, uncertainty, values, and support. Iterative …

Buparlisib In Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma Harboring Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Pathway Activation: An Open-Label, Multicenter, Multi-Arm, Phase Ii Trial., Patrick Y Wen, Mehdi Touat, Brian M Alexander, Ingo K Mellinghoff, Shakti Ramkissoon, Christine S Mccluskey, Kristine Pelton, Sam Haidar, Sankha S Basu, Sarah C Gaffey, Loreal E Brown, Juan Emmanuel Martinez-Ledesma, Shaofang Wu, Jungwoo Kim, Wei Wei, Mi-Ae Park, Jason T Huse, John G Kuhn, Mikael L Rinne, Howard Colman, Nathalie Y R Agar, Antonio M Omuro, Lisa M Deangelis, Mark R Gilbert, John F De Groot, Timothy F Cloughesy, Andrew S Chi, Thomas M Roberts, Jean J Zhao, Eudocia Q Lee, Lakshmi Nayak, James R Heath, Laura L Horky, Tracy T Batchelor, Rameen Beroukhim, Susan M Chang, Azra H Ligon, Ian F Dunn, Dimpy Koul, Geoffrey S Young, Michael D Prados, David A Reardon, W K Alfred Yung, Keith L Ligon

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

PURPOSE: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling is highly active in glioblastomas. We assessed pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of the pan-PI3K inhibitor buparlisib in patients with recurrent glioblastoma with PI3K pathway activation.

METHODS: This study was a multicenter, open-label, multi-arm, phase II trial in patients with PI3K pathway-activated glioblastoma at first or second recurrence. In cohort 1, patients scheduled for re-operation after progression received buparlisib for 7 to 13 days before surgery to evaluate brain penetration and modulation of the PI3K pathway in resected tumor tissue. In cohort 2, patients not eligible for re-operation received buparlisib until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Once …

Dual Complementary Liposomes Inhibit Triple-Negative Breast Tumor Progression And Metastasis, Peng Guo, Jiang Yang, Daxing Liu, Lan Huang, Gillian Fell, Jin Huang, Marsha A. Moses, Debra T. Auguste

Publications and Research

Distinguishing malignant cells from non-neoplastic ones is a major challenge in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment. Here, we developed a complementary targeting strategy that uses precisely matched, multivalent ligand-receptor interactions to recognize and target TNBC tumors at the primary site and metastatic lesions. We screened a panel of cancer cell surface markers and identified intercellular adhesion molecule–1 (ICAM1) and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) as optimal candidates for TNBC complementary targeting. We engineered a dual complementary liposome (DCL) that precisely complements the molecular ratio and organization of ICAM1 and EGFR specific to TNBC cell surfaces. Our in vitro mechanistic studies …

Comparing Family Sharing Behaviors In Brca Carriers With Palb2 Carriers, Joy E. Kechik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Identifying individuals with hereditary cancer predisposition can improve health outcomes for patients and their family members through early cancer detection and prevention strategies. Prior research about family sharing of genetic test results among those with hereditary breast cancer has overwhelmingly been limited to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The present study sought to compare family sharing behaviors in women with pathogenic BRCA variants to women with pathogenic variants in the more recently identified and characterized PALB2 gene. A total of 18 BRCA carriers and 13 PALB2 carriers were interviewed about family sharing practices using a semi-structured guide based on the …

Induction Of Ampk Activation By N,N'-Diarylurea Fnd-4b Decreases Growth And Increases Apoptosis In Triple Negative And Estrogen-Receptor Positive Breast Cancers, Jeremy Johnson, Piotr G. Rychahou, Vitaliy M. Sviripa, Heidi L. Weiss, Chunming Liu, David S. Watt, B. Mark Evers

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Purpose

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most lethal and aggressive subtype of breast cancer. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a major energy regulator that suppresses tumor growth, and 1-(3-chloro-4-((trifluoromethyl)thio)phenyl)-3-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)urea (FND-4b) is a novel AMPK activator that inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in colon cancer. The purpose of this project was to test the effects of FND-4b on AMPK activation, proliferation, and apoptosis in breast cancer with a particular emphasis on TNBC.

Materials and methods

(i) Estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer (ER+BC; MCF-7, and T-47D), TNBC (MDA-MB-231 and HCC-1806), and breast cancer stem cells were treated with FND-4b for 24h. …

Breaking The Transportation Barrier: Enhancing Access To Cancer Treatment Through Technology And Philanthropy, Rebecca Cammy, Msw, Lcsw, Jodi Sandos, Msw, Lcsw, Stephanie Chapman, Bs

Department of Medical Oncology Posters

Cancer patients face many obstacles and challenges after being diagnosed with cancer. Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals’ Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) has effectively eliminated transportation as a barrier to care for patients receiving cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. SKCC dedicates a full-time patient navigator to assess and connect patients with appropriate transportation resources based on location, insurance coverage, and mobility. The utilization of patient-focused transportation platforms, such as Uber Health, RoundTrip, and Ride Health have streamlined the process, while SKCC philanthropic funds have assisted with associated financial costs. As a result of these resources, oncology patients who would …

Combining Radiation And Immune Checkpoint Blockade In The Treatment Of Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma., Gregor Manukian, Voichita Bar-Ad, Bo Lu, Athanassios Argiris, Jennifer M. Johnson

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current treatment options, even though potentially curative, have many limitations including a high rate of complications. Over the past few years immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) targeting cytotoxic lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have changed treatment paradigms in many malignancies and are currently under investigation in HNSCC as well. Despite improvements in treatment outcomes and the implementation of combined modality approaches long-term survival rates in patients with locally advanced HNSCC remain suboptimal. Accumulating evidence …

Genetic Interaction Analysis Among Oncogenesis-Related Genes Revealed Novel Genes And Networks In Lung Cancer Development., Yafang Li, Xiangjun Xiao, Yohan Bossé, Olga Gorlova, Ivan Gorlov, Younghun Han, Jinyoung Byun, Natasha Leighl, Jakob S Johansen, Matt Barnett, Chu Chen, Gary E Goodman, Angela Cox, Fiona Taylor, Penella Woll, H Erich Wichmann, Judith Manz, Thomas Muley, Angela Risch, Albert Rosenberger, Jiali Han, Katherine Siminovitch, Susanne M Arnold, Eric B Haura, Ciprian Bolca, Ivana Holcatova, Vladimir Janout, Milica Kontic, Jolanta Lissowska, Anush Mukeria, Simona Ognjanovic, Tadeusz M Orlowski, Ghislaine Scelo, Beata Swiatkowska, David Zaridze, Per Bakke, Vidar Skaug, Shanbeh Zienolddiny, Eric J Duell, Lesley M Butler, Richard Houlston, María Soler Artigas, Kjell Grankvist, Mikael Johansson, Frances A Shepherd, Michael W Marcus, Hans Brunnström, Jonas Manjer, Olle Melander, David C Muller, Kim Overvad, Antonia Trichopoulou, Rosario Tumino, Geoffrey Liu, Stig E Bojesen, Xifeng Wu, Loic Le Marchand, Demetrios Albanes, Heike Bickeböller, Melinda C Aldrich, William S Bush, Adonina Tardon, Gad Rennert, M Dawn Teare, John K Field, Lambertus A Kiemeney, Philip Lazarus, Aage Haugen, Stephen Lam, Matthew B Schabath, Angeline S Andrew, Pier Alberto Bertazzi, Angela C Pesatori, David C Christiani, Neil Caporaso, Mattias Johansson, James D Mckay, Paul Brennan, Rayjean J Hung, Christopher I Amos

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

The development of cancer is driven by the accumulation of many oncogenesis-related genetic alterations and tumorigenesis is triggered by complex networks of involved genes rather than independent actions. To explore the epistasis existing among oncogenesis-related genes in lung cancer development, we conducted pairwise genetic interaction analyses among 35,031 SNPs from 2027 oncogenesis-related genes. The genotypes from three independent genome-wide association studies including a total of 24,037 lung cancer patients and 20,401 healthy controls with Caucasian ancestry were analyzed in the study. Using a two-stage study design including discovery and replication studies, and stringent Bonferroni correction for multiple statistical analysis, we …

Genetic Interaction Analysis Among Oncogenesis-Related Genes Revealed Novel Genes And Networks In Lung Cancer Development, Yafang Li, Xiangjun Xiao, Yohan Bossé, Olga Gorlova, Ivan Gorlov, Younghun Han, Jinyoung Byun, Natasha Leighl, Jakob S. Johansen, Matt Barnett, Chu Chen, Gary Goodman, Angela Cox, Fiona Taylor, Penella Woll, H. Erich Wichmann, Judith Manz, Thomas Muley, Angela Risch, Albert Rosenberger, Jiali Han, Katherine Siminovitch, Susanne M. Arnold, Eric B. Haura, Ciprian Bolca, Ivana Holcatova, Vladimir Janout, Milica Kontic, Jolanta Lissowska, Anush Mukeria

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The development of cancer is driven by the accumulation of many oncogenesis-related genetic alterationsand tumorigenesis is triggered by complex networks of involved genes rather than independent actions. To explore the epistasis existing among oncogenesis-related genes in lung cancer development, we conducted pairwise genetic interaction analyses among 35,031 SNPs from 2027 oncogenesis-related genes. The genotypes from three independent genome-wide association studies including a total of 24,037 lung cancer patients and 20,401 healthy controls with Caucasian ancestry were analyzed in the study. Using a two-stage study design including discovery and replication studies, and stringent Bonferroni correction for multiple statistical analysis, we identified …

Nelfe-Dependent Myc Signature Identifies A Unique Cancer Subtype In Hepatocellular Carcinoma., Hien Dang, Yotsawat Pomyen, Sean P. Martin, Dana A. Dominguez, Sun Young Yim, Ju-Seog Lee, Anuradha Budhu, Ashesh P. Shah, Adam S. Bodzin, Xin Wei Wang

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

The MYC oncogene is dysregulated in approximately 30% of liver cancer. In an effort to exploit MYC as a therapeutic target, including in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), strategies have been developed on the basis of MYC amplification or gene translocation. Due to the failure of these strategies to provide accurate diagnostics and prognostic value, we have developed a Negative Elongation Factor E (NELFE)-Dependent MYC Target (NDMT) gene signature. This signature, which consists of genes regulated by MYC and NELFE, an RNA binding protein that enhances MYC-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, is predictive of NELFE/MYC-driven tumors that would otherwise not be identified by gene amplification …

Neoantigen Screening Identifies Broad Tp53 Mutant Immunogenicity In Patients With Epithelial Cancers., Parisa Malekzadeh, Anna Pasetto, Paul F Robbins, Maria R Parkhurst, Biman C Paria, Li Jia, Jared J Gartner, Victoria Hill, Zhiya Yu, Nicholas P Restifo, Abraham Sachs, Eric Tran, Winifred Lo, Robert Pt Somerville, Steven A Rosenberg, Drew C Deniger

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Epithelioid Glioblastoma Presenting As Aphasia In A Young Adult With Ovarian Cancer: A Case Report, Megan M. Finneran, Joseph Georges, Michael Kakareka, Ryan Moncman, Miriam Enriquez, Todd Siegal, Gregory Kubicek, Alan Turtz, Steven S. Yocom, H Warren Goldman

PCOM Scholarly Works

Our patient's clinical history and preoperative radiographic evaluation suggested central nervous system (CNS) metastatic disease. Ultimately, final pathology revealed epithelioid glioblastoma (eGBM), a newly classified CNS primary tumor. This reinforces the importance of direct tissue sampling and including eGBM on the differential for young patients with histories of systemic cancer presenting with new CNS lesions.

Stress-Induced Epinephrine Enhances Lactate Dehydrogenase A And Promotes Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells, Bai Cui, Yuanyuan Luo, Pengfei Tian, Fei Peng, Jinxin Lu, Yongliang Yang, Qitong Su, Bing Liu, Jiachuan Yu, Xi Luo, Liu Yin, Wei Cheng, Fan An, Bin He, Dapeng Liang, Sijin Wu, Peng Chu, Luyao Song, Xinyu Liu, Huandong Luo, Binhua P. Zhou

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Chronic stress triggers activation of the sympathetic nervous system and drives malignancy. Using an immunodeficient murine system, we showed that chronic stress–induced epinephrine promoted breast cancer stem-like properties via lactate dehydrogenase A–dependent (LDHA-dependent) metabolic rewiring. Chronic stress–induced epinephrine activated LDHA to generate lactate, and the adjusted pH directed USP28-mediated deubiquitination and stabilization of MYC. The SLUG promoter was then activated by MYC, which promoted development of breast cancer stem-like traits. Using a drug screen that targeted LDHA, we found that a chronic stress–induced cancer stem-like phenotype could be reversed by vitamin C. These findings demonstrated the critical importance of psychological …

Establishing Cohorts To Generate The Evidence Base To Reduce The Burden Of Breast Cancer In Sub-Saharan Africa: Results From A Feasibility Study In Kenya, Sujha Subramanian, Robai Gakunga, Madeleine D. Jones, Asaph Kinyanjui, Emily' Ochieng, Nancy Gikaara, Florence Maluni, David Wata, Anne Korir, Miriam Mutebi, Zipporah Ali

General Surgery, East Africa

Purpose: By 2025, Kenya is estimated to experience a two-thirds increase in the incidence of breast cancer. Local research is necessary to generate evidence to inform policy, public health, and medical practice. There have been no longitudinal cohort studies in sub-Saharan Africa of women with and without breast cancer. Our aim is to assess the feasibility of conducting cohort studies in Kenya that consider clinical characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and self-care behaviors.

Methods: We initiated a short-term follow-up cohort study of women with and without a diagnosis of breast cancer with baseline face-to-face data collection and one follow-up interview …

Improving The Quality Of Patient-Provider Interactions And Promoting Equitable, Accessible And Patient-Centered Cancer Care, C. Vaughan-Briggs, Lcsw, A. Petok, Lcsw, Mph, T. Dejesse, Amy Leader, Drph, Mph

Department of Medical Oncology Posters

• Philadelphia is among the top 10 cities in the US with populations over 500,000 with a high Community Need Index score (CNI- severity of Health disparity)
• Data from 2015 County Health Ranking, had Philadelphia last of all 67 counties in the state for social economic factors. (unemployment, income inequality, injury deaths, etc. )
• Cancer is a leading cause of mortality in the US
• The SKCC participated in a year-long, externally supported self study to improve the quality of patientprovider interactions and promote more equitable, accessible and patient- centered cancer care. This program aligned with internal initiatives.
• SKCC at Jefferson is …

Osteoblasts Are "Educated" By Crosstalk With Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells In The Bone Tumor Microenvironment., Alexus D. Kolb, Alison B. Shupp, Dimpi Mukhopadhyay, Frank C. Marini, Karen M. Bussard

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: In a cancer-free environment in the adult, the skeleton continuously undergoes remodeling. Bone-resorbing osteoclasts excavate erosion cavities, and bone-depositing osteoblasts synthesize osteoid matrix that forms new bone, with no net bone gain or loss. When metastatic breast cancer cells invade the bone, this balance is disrupted. Patients with bone metastatic breast cancer frequently suffer from osteolytic bone lesions that elicit severe bone pain and fractures. Bisphosphonate treatments are not curative. Under ideal circumstances, osteoblasts would synthesize new matrix to fill in erosion cavities caused by osteoclasts, but this is not what occurs. Our prior evidence demonstrated that osteoblasts are …

A Case-Control Study Of Trace-Element Status And Lung Cancer In Appalachian Kentucky, Jason M. Unrine, Stacey A. Slone, Wayne T. Sanderson, Nancy E. Johnson, Eric B. Durbin, Shristi Shrestha, Ellen J. Hahn, Fran Feltner, Bin Huang, W. Jay Christian, Isabel Mellon, David K. Orren, Susanne M. Arnold

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Appalachian Kentucky (App KY) leads the nation in lung cancer incidence and mortality. Trace elements, such as As, have been associated with lung cancers in other regions of the country and we hypothesized that a population-based study would reveal higher trace element concentrations in App KY individuals with cancer compared to controls. Using toenail and drinking water trace element concentrations, this study investigated a possible association between lung cancer incidence and trace-element exposure in residents of this region. This population-based case-control study had 520 subjects, and 367 subjects provided toenail samples. Additionally, we explored the relationship between toenail and fingernail …

Impact Of The Affordable Care Act On Colorectal Cancer Screening, Incidence, And Survival In Kentucky, Tong Gan, Heather F. Sinner, Samuel C. Walling, Quan Chen, Bin Huang, Thomas C. Tucker, Jitesh A. Patel, B. Mark Evers, Avinash S. Bhakta

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background

Kentucky ranks first in the US in cancer incidence and mortality. Compounded by high poverty levels and a high rate of medically uninsured, cancer rates are even worse in Appalachian Kentucky. Being one of the first states to adopt the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion, insurance coverage markedly increased for Kentucky residents. The purpose of our study was to determine the impact of Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, diagnosis, and survival in Kentucky.

Study Design

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Kentucky Cancer Registry were queried for individuals (≥20 years) undergoing CRC …