Medical Specialties Commons^™

Stroke As A First Presentation Of Malignancy, Farheen Niazi, Puneet Kakar, Ratneshwari Jha, Reena Dhami, Farook Edoo

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Stroke is a frequent complication in patients with cancer occurring in nearly 15% of the cases. However cerebrovascular disease as the first presentation of malignancy has rarely been reported. We report two such cases who were admitted with acute stroke but were later on found to be having malignancy. Routine workup was unrewarding in both patients. Both patients developed pulmonary embolism as well during hospital stay suggesting hypercoagulable state as likely etiology. Reaching to the final diagnosis was an arduous journey but can help guide other clinicians facing similar cases. Non Hodgkins B cell lymphoma and Carcinoma Gall bladder were …

Targeted And Controlled Anticancer Drug Delivery And Release With Magnetoelectric Nanoparticles, Alexandra Rodzinski

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A major challenge of cancer treatment is successful discrimination of cancer cells from healthy cells. Nanotechnology offers multiple venues for efficient cancer targeting. Magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENs) are a novel, multifaceted, physics-based cancer treatment platform that enables high specificity cancer targeting and externally controlled loaded drug release. The unique magnetoelectric coupling of MENs allows them to convert externally applied magnetic fields into intrinsic electric signals, which allows MENs to both be drawn magnetically towards the cancer site and to electrically interface with cancer cells. Once internalized, the MEN payload release can be externally triggered with a magnetic field. MENs uniquely allow …

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone) Supplementation And Its Benefits In Cardiovascular Disease, Osteoporosis, And Cancer, Grant S. Buchanan, Md, Thomas Melvin, Brandon Merritt, Charles Bishop, Md, Franklin D. Shuler, Md, Phd

Franklin D. Shuler

Vitamin K is known to play an essential role in the coagulation cascade; however, a growing body of research has found that a subtype of this vitamin, vitamin K2 (menaquinone) may have a beneficial effect in osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of recent literature regarding menaquinone and its role in human health. This review discusses the physiology of menaquinone, its clinical benefits in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancer, and how it may interact with certain medications. The authors conclude that menaquinone supplementation has been shown to improve carboxylation of …

A Survey Of Physician Receptivity To Molecular Diagnostic Testing And Readiness To Act On Results For Early-Stage Colon Cancer Patients., Ronald E. Myers, Thomas Wolf, Phillip Shwae, Sarah E. Hegarty, Stephen C. Peiper, Scott A. Waldman

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: We sought to assess physician interest in molecular prognosic testing for patients with early stage colon cancer, and identify factors associated with the likelihood of test adoption.

METHODS: We identified physicians who care for patients with early-stage (pN0) colon cancer patients, mailed them a survey, and analyzed survey responses to assess clinician receptivity to the use of a new molecular test (GUCY2C) that identifies patients at risk for recurrence, and clinician readiness to act on abnormal test results.

RESULTS: Of 104 eligible potential respondents, 41 completed and returned the survey. Among responding physicians, 56 % were receptive to using …

Case Study Of Persons With Cancer Participating In A Community-Based Exercise Program: An Exploration Of Meaning And Change, Barbara K. Haas, Melinda Hermanns, Christina Melin-Johansson

The Qualitative Report

Increasingly, research supports the importance of incorporating exercise into the cancer care paradigm. While quantitative studies have substantiated the significant effects of exercise on physical functioning, the individual’s perspective of participating in an exercise program has rarely been considered. The purpose of this study was to explain the impact of a community based exercise program on the lives of persons with cancer and their caregivers. Based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, a single explanatory case study with multiple embedded units of analyses was conducted. Interviews were conducted with 10 individuals representing participants with cancer, their caregivers, and health care providers. …

Nanobubbles Provide Theranostic Relief To Cancer Hypoxia, Christopher M. Long, Pushpak N. Bhandari, Joseph Irudayaraj

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Hypoxia is a common motif among tumors, contributing to metastasis, angiogenesis, cellular epigenetic abnormality, and resistance to cancer therapy. Hypoxia also plays a pivotal role in oncological studies, where it can be used as a principal target for new anti-cancer therapeutic methods. Oxygen nanobubbles were designed in an effort to target the hypoxic tumor regions, thus interrupting the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) regulatory pathway and inhibiting tumor progression. At less than 100nm, oxygen nanobubbles act as a vehicle for site-specific oxygen delivery, while also serving as an ultrasound contrast agent for advanced imaging purposes. Through in vitro and in vivo studies, …

Hospice And Pain Management In Nursing Home Residents With Cancer, Jacob N. Hunnicutt, Jennifer Tjia, Kate L. Lapane

Jennifer Tjia

Background: The prevalence of untreated pain in nursing home residents with cancer is unacceptably high. Hospice may increase the likelihood of receiving pain management at the end of life.

Objectives: To estimate whether receipt of hospice in nursing homes increases the receipt of pain management for nursing home residents with cancer at the end of life.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a national sample of Medicare decedents who had cancer and were nursing home residents during the last 90 days of life in 2011–2012. We used the last Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessment before death and the …

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone) Supplementation And Its Benefits In Cardiovascular Disease, Osteoporosis, And Cancer, Grant S. Buchanan, Md, Thomas Melvin, Brandon Merritt, Charles Bishop, Md, Franklin D. Shuler, Md, Phd

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Vitamin K is known to play an essential role in the coagulation cascade; however, a growing body of research has found that a subtype of this vitamin, vitamin K₂ (menaquinone) may have a beneficial effect in osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of recent literature regarding menaquinone and its role in human health. This review discusses the physiology of menaquinone, its clinical benefits in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancer, and how it may interact with certain medications. The authors conclude that menaquinone supplementation has been shown to improve carboxylation …

Alternative Methods For The Treatment Of Chemo-Resistant Cancers, Kaitlyn Wong

Doctoral Dissertations

Great strides have been made in cancer therapy in the past century, yet it remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States today. This work aimed to shed light on novel methods to treat a variety of aggressive and often chemo-resistant cancers both in vitro and in vivo. The first aim of this work was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of poly(methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (polyMPC) prodrugs compared to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Conjugation of polyMPC to drugs such as doxorubicin (Dox) can result in its improved solubility, prolonged half-life and therapeutic efficacy. PolyMPC and polyMPC-Dox (at a …

Partner Interfering Behaviors Affecting Cancer Quality Of Life, Ann L. Coker, Diane R. Follingstad, Lisandra S. Garcia, Heather M. Bush

Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective: Because partners are an important and unpaid resource in cancer care, understanding how destructive, controlling or interfering partner behaviors influence women's cancer care may be particularly relevant for health care providers seeking to provide cancer care and enhance recovery. Using a new measure of partner interfering behaviors in cancer care (PIB-C), we investigated whether women with a recent cancer diagnosis who additionally endorsed any PIB-C would report (a) more symptoms of depression and stress, and (b) lower Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G) and lower Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-SP) scale scores indicating poorer quality of …

Rural Disparities In Cancer Care: A Review Of Its Implications And Possible Interventions, Raj Singh, Lynne J. Goebel Md

Lynne J. Goebel

Cancer care has greatly improved in the last few decades, as evidenced by a 22% decline in the overall cancer-related death rate in the United States since 1991. However, the question presents itself whether rural residents, for whom the latest advancements are not as accessible, are also realizing these benefits as much as their urban counterparts. The aim of this study is to provide are view of the literature regarding the disparities in cancer care facing rural Appalachia and specifically West Virginia (WV) as well as possible solutions towards bridging this gap. We find that WV has a higher cancer …

Investigating The Use Of Chloroquine As Antineoplastic Therapy, Catherine E. Herron, Alexandra E. Mason

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Chloroquine (CQ) is an oral lysosomotropic agent routinely used as an anti-malarial drug (Espina & Liotta, 2013). In recent years, it has been discovered that CQ also possesses anticancer effects, potentially due to the drug’s inhibition of autophagy (Kimura, Takabatake, Takahashi, & Isaka, 2012). Autophagy is a normal cellular pathway that allows for the degradation of cytoplasmic contents. In cancer cells autophagy can also serve as a pro-survival pathway under stressful metabolic conditions, ultimately promoting the survival of malignant cells (Sui et al., 2013). Therefore, in recent years CQ has been speculated as a potential antineoplastic therapy. When administered in …

Rural Disparities In Cancer Care: A Review Of Its Implications And Possible Interventions, Raj Singh, Lynne J. Goebel Md

Internal Medicine

Cancer care has greatly improved in the last few decades, as evidenced by a 22% decline in the overall cancer-related death rate in the United States since 1991. However, the question presents itself whether rural residents, for whom the latest advancements are not as accessible, are also realizing these benefits as much as their urban counterparts. The aim of this study is to provide are view of the literature regarding the disparities in cancer care facing rural Appalachia and specifically West Virginia (WV) as well as possible solutions towards bridging this gap. We find that WV has a higher cancer …

Esophageal Diagnosis Of A Malignant Aspergilloma, Muneer Al Zoby, Nancy Munn,, Yousef Shweihat

Internal Medicine

A 59-year-old male patient developed a new 4 cm × 6 cm cavitary left upper lung lesion over a 2 months period. The patient had a prior history of a surgically resected Stage IA non-small cell lung cancer in the right upper lobe 3 years prior. He was treated for possible infection with radiographic improvement on subsequent imaging. Further imaging after 3 months revealed an oval soft tissue density within the cavity with air crescent sign. Bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsies showed an acute and chronic granulomatous inflammation. Aspergillus fumigatus was noted on culture and voriconazole was initiated. Subsequent imaging showed …

Immune Modulating Functions By Soypeptide Lunasin In Cancer Immunotherapy, Chun-Yu Tung

Open Access Dissertations

Chemotherapy is currently the mainstay of treatment for most cancer patients. Despite its efficacy in eliminating cancer cells, a high percentage of chemotherapy patients eventually relapse or suffer progression of the disease. Immunosurveillance is capable of recognizing and eliminating continuously arising transformed mutant cells, and thus cancer immunotherapy is one of the emerging therapeutic strategies that harnesses the power of the immune system to eradicate chemotherapy-resistant cancerous cells. However, the adverse side effects of chemotherapy impede the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy. Our previous studies demonstrate that lymphoma patients are refractory to clinical immunotherapy because of chemotherapy-induced immune dysfunction. In addition, …

Inhibitions Of Gsk3Β Modulates Cell Death In Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Noelle L. Cutter Ph.D., Tyler Walther Bsc, Naeha Pathak

Faculty Works: Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Studies

Epithelial ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignancies and the fifth most frequent cause of cancer death in women, affecting over 22,000 women annually. Nearly 15,500 affected women die from this disease annually, and chemoresistance from the commonly prescribed platinum-based drug, carboplatin, is a major contributor to this mortality rate. Previous studies have identified genes with CpG islands that are methylated and transcriptionally silenced in resistant epithelial ovarian cancer patients. One of these genes is GSK3β, an important regulator of apoptosis and cell growth in the Wnt pathway. Thus, understanding the role of GSK3β suppression in chemoresistance …

Nipt Results Indicative Of Maternal Neoplasms: Genetic Counselors' Preferences And Attitudes, Meagan E. Giles

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Performing non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) on a pregnant woman with a chromosomally abnormal neoplasm may incidentally lead to the diagnosis of cancer due to the coexistence of circulating tumor and placental DNA. Published information regarding NIPT’s accuracy for neoplasm screening is limited, and guidance for patient management is currently lacking. This challenges clinicians’ ability to counsel patients regarding the implications of these results, which often is the responsibility of a genetic counselor. Over three hundred board-eligible/certified genetic counselors were surveyed regarding their awareness, preferences, and attitudes towards NIPT’s ability to indicate maternal neoplasms. Despite 95% of this cohort being aware …

Current Therapeutic Role And Medicinal Potential Of Scutellaria Barbata In Traditional Chinese Medicine And Western Research, Geyang Tao, Marcy J. Balunas

Honors Scholar Theses

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Scutellaria barbata is a common herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) most often used to treat cancer. S. barbata has been found to exhibit efficacy both in vitro and in vivo on a variety of cancer types. Similarly encouraging results have been shown in patients with metastatic breast cancer from Phase Ia and Ib clinical trials. This study aims to elucidate the current use of S. barbata by TCM practitioners and in current Western research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen TCM practitioners in Beijing and Nanjing, China to understand their clinical use of …

The Effects Of Education On Compassion Fatigue Experienced By Oncology Nurses, Ina Wilson

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Oncology nursing is widely viewed as a rewarding and emotional challenging specialty. Oncology nurses witness terminal illness, death, physical, and emotional suffering which increases their risk of developing compassion fatigue. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to increase awareness of compassion fatigue among oncology nurses by providing them with knowledge, effective coping skills, and self-care management skills. The Theory of Human Caring was used as the theoretical framework to support this EBP project and the intervention was guided by The Iowa Model of Research-Based Practice to Promote Quality Care. The project used a pre-test and post-test design. …

The Effect Of Luteolin On Human Glioblastoma, David M. Anson, Samson Amos, Robert L. Paris, Denise S. Simpson

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is widely recognized as the most common and lethal of the malignant gliomas. Few effective therapeutic treatments are available as five-year survival rates of diagnosed individuals are less than five percent. Luteolin, a common flavonoid found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, has demonstrated significant promise in combating cancers of the breast, colon, liver, lung, and bone. In this study, we investigated the effects of luteolin on glioblastoma multiforme cell lines U-251, U-87, and U-1242. Cell viability was assessed using cell count with trypan blue exclusion and MTT assays. Results revealed that luteolin reduces GBM cell …

Alternative Regulation Of Myc In Lung Cancer, Patrick N. Backman

Open Access Theses

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, accounting for 27% of all cancer induced deaths1. In an attempt to create a effective targeted therapy for the treatment of lung cancer, a strategy used to treat an activated KrasG12D/+;p53 R172H/+ transgenic lung cancer mouse model was to deliver a known tumor suppressive microRNA (miRNA) to stop tumor growth. The tumor suppressive miRNA let-7 was lentivirally delivered in the form of its primary transcript, pri-let-7a-1, and resulted in increased lung size and inflammation compared to lungs exposed to a control lentivirus. It was identified …

Antimicrobial Stewardship Barriers And Goals In Pediatric Oncology And Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Survey Of Antimicrobial Stewardship Practitioners., Joshua Wolf, Yilun Sun, Li Tang, Jason G. Newland, Jeffrey S. Gerber, Christie J. Van Dyke, Saul R. Hymes, Diana Yu, Delia C. Carias, Penelope A. Bryant, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Antimicrobial Stewardship Interest Group

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

We undertook a cross-sectional survey of antimicrobial stewardship clinicians in North America and Australasia regarding practices, goals, and barriers to implementation of stewardship for pediatric oncology patients. Goals and barriers were similar regardless of clinician or institutional characteristics and geographic location. Strategies addressing these factors could help optimize antimicrobial use.

Structural Characterization And Therapeutic Utility Of The Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter, Michael Roy Wilson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Folate is a B9 vitamin essential to DNA synthesis. The proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) is a newly discovered proton/folate symporter with an acidic pH optimum and broad expression across a variety of solid tumor types, with limited expression in normal tissues. Several antifolate molecules have been developed as cancer therapeutics, although these classical antifolates display numerous off-target effects due to transport by the ubiquitous reduced folate carrier (RFC). In this dissertation, we determine the roles of multiple PCFT structure/function domains, and develop PCFT-specific antifolates to target solid tumors. We utilize substituted cysteine accessibility methods (SCAM) to identify a novel reentrant …

Cancer Care Annual Report 2015-16, Children's Mercy Hospital

Cancer Center Annual Reports

Annual report of cancer care and oncology services at the Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City MO, a pediatric medical center. This report has a focus on neuroblastoma.

A Requirement For Y841 In Jak3 Enzymatic Activity And Hematopoietic Cancers, George Steven Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A medical need exists for successfully treating people afflicted with leukemia, especially those who develop drug resistant forms. Relapse leukemia cases are particularly high within Hispanic populations where this disease is among the most frequently occurring cancer. Fourteen somatic mutations have been reported in Janus tyrosine kinase 3 (Jak3), including M511I and A573V, from patients with various forms of leukemia. To monitor drug sensitivity, a model system was developed. Indeed, many of these mutations have been shown to possess transforming ability in cell lines such as the IL-3 dependent pro-B cell line Ba/F3. As such, Ba/F3 cells were transformed to …

The Synchronicity Of Hope And Enhanced Quality Of Life In Terminal Cancer, Brianna M. Terry

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of death worldwide. The rate of mortality is currently approximately 171.2 out of every 100,000 individuals with a terminal cancer diagnosis annually. Individuals with terminal cancer diagnoses facing probable mortality utilize various coping mechanisms or internal resources in an attempt to maintain an internal sense of well-being, commonly referred to as quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this literature review was to investigate themes prevalent in the literature pertaining to internal coping mechanisms and analyze any correlation or causation linking these resources to …

Improving Communication Between Cancer Patients And Providers During A 15-Minute Office Visit: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Dr. Tammy Elizabeth Manganelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer often experience adverse side effects, including cognitive deficits. These deficits impact the patient's ability to communicate effectively with their oncology provider. Ineffective communication can adversely affect patient outcomes and decrease patient-provider satisfaction. The resulting poor communication can contribute to poor patient outcomes. This systematic literature review focused on assistive communication tools that could be used in an outpatient oncology setting to improve patient-provider communication. The literature review findings led to the development of a resource for providers that includes 15 communication tools that can be used to assess and improve communication in cancer care. …

Prostate Cancer: Screening, Current Guidelines And Patient Education, Timothy F. Flanagan

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Recent changes in prostate cancer screening guidelines may create an opportunity for patient education. By creating a succinct hand-out on prostate cancer screening, providers enable their patients to understand screening, and provide sites with opportunities for further learning.

Confronting Barriers To Exercise In Patients With Chronic Health: Community Health Improvement Project In The Lewiston/Auburn Area Concerns, Marie R. Lemay

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week, but most individuals with chronic disease do not reach this goal despite its numerous health benefits. Research has shown that scheduled exercise programs and exercise partners help individuals to sustain their exercise goals. Using this premise of group mentality individuals affected from cancer at the Dempsey center and patients attending CMMC’s diabetes group in Lewiston ME were polled about exercise self –efficacy and barriers to exercise. Subsequently, a one-time walking event was offered to the diabetes group and a phone-tree was introduced to one yoga class at …

Effects Of Exercise Interventions And Physical Activity Behavior On Cancer Related Cognitive Impairments: A Systematic Review, Philipp Zimmer, Freerk Baumann, Max Oberste, Peter Wright, Alexander Garthe, Alexander Schenk, Thomas Elter, Daniel A. Galvao, Wilhelm Bloch, Sven Hübner, Florian Wolf

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This systematic review analyzes current data on effects of exercise interventions and physical activity behavior on objective and subjective cancer related cognitive impairments (CRCI). Out of the 19 studies which met all inclusion criteria, five RCTs investigated rodents, whereas the other 14 trials explored humans and these included six RCTs, one controlled trial, two prospective noncontrolled trials, one case series, one observational study, and three cross-sectional studies. The results from animal models revealed positive effects of exercise during and after chemotherapy or radiation on structural alterations of the central nervous system, physiological as well as neuropsychological outcomes. The overall study …