Medical Specialties Commons^™

Conjunctival Melanoma Genomic Analysis Reveals Intermediate Tumor Mutation Burden And Genomic Overlap With Cutaneous Melanoma, Florentia Dimitriou, Xiaogang Wu, Priyadharsini Nagarajan, Isabella C Glitza, Li Zhao, Jing Ning, Sapna P Patel, Jennifer A Wargo, Andrew Futreal, Scott Woodman, Jennifer L Mcquade, Bita Esmaeli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Conjunctival melanoma (CJM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy. Mainly attributed to its rarity, the genomic features of CJM have not been well characterized. In the present study, we sequenced the exomes of primary and metastatic CJM tumors with the aim to unravel their genomic landscape. The results of the study suggest that CJM is a molecularly distinct melanoma subtype with mixed genotype and targetable mutations. Notably, there were features overlapping with both mucosal, and mainly cutaneous melanoma. Of note, some genetic alterations were found in association with specific subsets of CJM, such as bulbar anatomical localization. CJM tumors had …

Proteomic Perspectives On Kras-Driven Cancers And Emerging Therapeutic Approaches, Ramesh Karki, Ru Chen, Sheng Pan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KRAS mutations are implicated in approximately 23% of all human malignancies, with particularly high prevalence in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (~92%), colorectal cancer (CRC) (~49%), and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (~35%). The recent approval of the KRASG12C-specific inhibitors for NSCLC represents a pivotal advancement in KRAS-targeted therapy. Nevertheless, the emergence of intrinsic and acquired resistance to KRAS-targeted therapies poses a significant clinical obstacle to targeting KRAS, which necessitates a deeper understanding of the resistance mechanisms. Recent progress in proteomic studies has enabled comprehensive profiling of the proteomic alterations driven by KRAS mutations, offering valuable insights into the disrupted KRAS …

Differences In Patient And Parent Preferences For Prognostic Communication Across Disease Milestones In Advanced Childhood Cancer, Rachel A Kentor, Shoshana Mehler, Caroline Christianson, Harmony Farner, Tara M Brinkman, Justin N Baker, Pamela S Hinds, Jennifer W Mack, Erica C Kaye

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Navigating prognostic communication is challenging for clinicians caring for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with poor-prognosis cancer. Presently, little is known about how AYA and parent preferences for prognostic disclosure evolve over time. This study explored communication preferences at key illness milestones of disease progression to inform individualized, person-centered approaches to optimize prognostic disclosure.

Procedure: Sixty-five participants, including 25 AYAs aged 12-25 years and 40 parents, were recruited at distinct illness timepoints-diagnosis, relapse/progression, Phase I/II trial enrollment, and bereavement-to participate in semi-structured interviews about their preferences for timing, style, and content of prognostic communication. Rapid analysis was conducted to …

Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras In Cancer Therapy: Targeted Protein Degradation For Next-Generation Treatment, Yamile Abuchard, Mariana Barragan, Ricardo Pequeno Bracho, Salique H. Shaham, Debasish Bandyopadhyay, Elias George, Diane Nguyen, Manish Tripathi

School of Medicine Publications

Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment by specifically targeting and degrading oncogenic proteins. Using the ubiquitin-proteasome system, PROTACs allow the selective degradation of disease-causing proteins, including those traditionally deemed “undruggable” by conventional small-molecule inhibitors. By catalytically eliminating rather than inhibiting proteins, PROTACs provide sustained target suppression with lower doses and reduced toxicity. Their bifunctional design linking a protein of interest to an E3 ligase drives targeted ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation. Recent progress demonstrates promise in treating solid and hematologic malignancies, with several candidates advancing to clinical trials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of developing …

A Cancer Haiku Triptych, Larry C. Driver

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

This trio of patient-inspired Haiku attempts to capture the joyful optimism of cancer-free life in the first pair of spring and summer, with a hint of transition in the second, and the final autumn into winter piece heralding the realization that smoldering cancer has flared-up with the possibility of the end of life.

The Mycancergene Study: A Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Randomized Study Comparing A Patient-Centered Digital Genetic Health Portal To Usual Care After Receipt Of Cancer Genetic Testing, Daniel Chavez-Yenter, Dominique Fetzer, Brian Egleston, Susan Domchek, Linda Fleisher, Lynne Wagner, Kuang-Yi Wen, Kelsey Karpink, Lauren Gutstein, Shelby Posen, Enida Selmani, Briana Mcleod, Arravinth Anantharajah, Sarah Brown, Cara Cacioppo, Jacqueline Cappadocia, Jessica Ebrahimzadeh, Dana Falcone, Sarah Howe, Claire Langer, Beth Mccarthy-Wood, Michelle Weinberg, Angela Bradbury

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Genetic testing has become more complex with the transition from single gene testing to multi-gene panels and whole-exome sequencing. The adoption of more complex genetic testing and the promise of precision medicine has created a critical and urgent need for longitudinal clinical follow-up with patients who undergo cancer genetic testing given the residual uncertainty. There is an increasing need for multidisciplinary translational research that focuses on how to advance precision medicine discoveries into clinical practice and to capitalize on connectivity (e.g. digital health) interventions in ways that optimize cancer risk reducing behaviors in real-world clinical populations.

METHODS: The overall …

Protocol For Isolating Patient-Derived Ascites Cells And Extracellular Vesicles From Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastases, Yibo Fan, Jody V Vykoukal, Shumei Song, Melissa Pool Pizzi, Gengyi Zou, Katsuhiro Yoshimura, Jiankang Jin, Hiroyuki Katayama, George A Calin, Rebecca E Waters, Qiong Gan, Linghua Wang, Samir Hanash, Shilpa S Dhar, Jaffer A Ajani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) cells and extracellular vesicles (EVs) from gastric cancer ascites are valuable for studying tumor-stroma interactions. Here, we present a protocol for isolating PC cells and EVs from patient ascites. We describe steps for PC cell culture, iodixanol-based EV purification, electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, flow cytometry, and proteomic profiling. This protocol also includes TD-139 loading into exosomes for functional assays to evaluate their role in modulating the tumor microenvironment. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Fan et al.

Discriminative Accuracy Of Cha2ds2-Vasc Score, And Development Of Predictive Accuracy Model Using Machine Learning For Ischemic Stroke Risk In Cardiac Amyloidosis And Atrial Fibrillation, Waqas Ullah, Abhinav Nair, Eric Warner, Salman Zahid, Mansoor Rahman, Palwasha Khan, Indranee Rajapreyar, Sridhara S. Yaddanapudi, M. Chadi Alraies, Said Ashraf, Jeffery Van Hook, Yegeny Brailovsky

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: CHA2DS2-VASc score in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) with atrial fibrillation (AF) is believed to underestimate ischemic stroke risk, necessitating a better predictive model.

METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Readmission Database (NRD). Outcomes between CA-AF and no-CA-AF were compared using multivariate regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs). AutoScore, an interpretable machine learning framework, was used to develop a stroke risk prediction model, and its predictive accuracy was evaluated with an area under the curve (AUC) using the receiver operating characteristic analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 11,860,804 (CA-AF 22,687 (0.19%) and no-CA-AF 11,838,117) patients were identified from 2015 …

Preclinical Models Of Melanoma Leptomeningeal Disease To Assess Intrathecal Checkpoint Blockade, Renato A Guerrieri, Grant M Fischer, Jacob R Cortez, Barbara G Knighton, Debora A Ledesma, Courtney W Hudgens, Yimmy F Delcid, Qianghua Hu, Christian Y B Onana, Fernando C L Carapeto, Michael T Tezlaff, Jason T Huse, Patrick Hwu, Elizabeth M Burton, Isabella C Glitza Oliva, Michael A Davies, Sherise D Ferguson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a subtype of central nervous system metastatic disease that is associated with poor patient outcomes and limited treatment options. There is an unmet need to develop preclinical models of LMD to expedite and improve the development of new therapeutics. Here, we describe the development of multiple orthotopic immunocompetent murine models of melanoma LMD, including their use to assess the efficacy of systemic and/or intrathecal immunotherapy. LMD was established by direct intrathecal injection of murine cell lines (B16-F10, BP, D4M, D4M-UV2, MC38-gp100, RMS, YUMM3.1, and YUMMER1.7) into the cisterna magna of C57BL/6 mice. Tumor take rate, distribution, …

Hubungan Frailty Dengan Kesintasan Satu Tahun Pada Pasien Lanjut Usia Dengan Tumor Padat Ganas Stadium Lanjut, Trian Satrio, Aulia Rizka, Findy Prasetyawaty, Alvina Widhani, Noto Dwimartutie, Rm Suryo Anggoro, Mira Yulianti, Dono Antono

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. Frailty is characterized by a multisystem physiological decline that increases the risk of morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with advanced-stage solid malignancies. The association between frailty and one-year survival in older adults with solid malignancies in Indonesia has not yet been established. This study aimed to assess the association between frailty status and one-year survival in elderly patients with advanced-stage solid tumors.

Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, Jakarta utilizing patient data from a previous study conducted between November 2020 and 2021. Subjects were cancer patients aged …

Pengaruh Heart Rate Variability Terhadap Kesintasan Pasien Dengan Kanker: Laporan Kasus Berbasis Bukti, Kartika Anastasia Kosasih, Nida Raniah, Rudi Putranto, Wulyo Rajabto, Hamzah Shatri, Edward Faisal, Vinandya Irvianita Poespitasari

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Depression, anxiety, and poor outcomes in cancer are possibly mediated by autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic disfunction found in cancer patients can cause increase in sympathetic tone and decrease in cardiac muscle vagal tone. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive index for measuring vagal response and a potential stress response in autonomic dysfunction. In patients with cancer, high vagal tone measured by HRV is significantly correlated with increased overall survival. This evidence-based case report aims to investigate the role of HRV as a prognostic factor in cancer patients. Literature search was done by two authors on five databases: Pubmed, Cochrane Library, …

Decorin Evokes A Pro-Lysosomal Pathway In Lymphatic Endothelial Cells, Gabriel J. Pascal, Dipon K. Mondal, Sadie Kim, Christopher Xie, Devanarayanan Siva Sankar, Jörn Dengjel, Renato V. Iozzo

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

The lymphatic system is critical to the body's immune and circulatory system, and lymphangiogenesis, the development of new lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones, is a significant process capitalized upon by cancer during tumorigenesis. Decorin is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan which we have previously shown to be anti-tumorigenic and a suppressor of lymphangiogenesis. We have also shown that decorin exercises its anticancer properties through its ability to evoke autophagy. Through a comprehensive and unbiased proteomic analysis, we explored the implications of decorin exposure on protein expression within mouse lymphatic endothelial cells. We discovered that decorin enriches several protein pathways, notably proteasomal …

Engineered Exosomes With Krasg12d Specific Sirna In Pancreatic Cancer: A Phase I Study With Immunological Correlates, Valerie S Kalluri, Brandon G Smaglo, Krishnan K Mahadevan, Michelle L Kirtley, Kathleen M Mcandrews, Mayela Mendt, Sujuan Yang, Ana S Maldonado, Hikaru Sugimoto, Maria E Salvatierra, Luisa M Solis Soto, Cara Haymaker, Rick Finch, Mihai Gagea, Adam C Fluty, Steven J Ludtke, J Jack Lee, Abhinav K Jain, Gauri Varadhachary, Rachna T Shroff, Anirban Maitra, Elizabeth Shpall, Shubham Pant, Raghu Kalluri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Oncogenic KRAS is amongst the key genetic drivers for initiation and maintenance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we show that engineered exosomes with KrasG12D specific siRNA (iExoKrasG12D) reveal a biodistribution in pancreas with negligible toxicity in preclinical studies in mice and Rhesus macaques. Clinical testing of iExoKrasG12D in the iEXPLORE (iExoKrasG12D in Pancreatic Cancer) Phase I study employed a non-randomized single-arm classical 3 + 3 dose escalation design (Phase Ia), followed by an accelerated titration design (Phase Ib) (NCT03608631). The primary outcomes included safety, tolerability and target engagement, and the secondary outcomes aimed to assess disease control. …

Human Cerebral Organoids Model Tumor Initiation And Infiltration In An Autologous Astrocyte-Supported Setting, Esther Schickel, Tamara Bender, Leon Kaysan, Simone Hufgard, Margot Mayer, David R Grosshans, Christiane Thielemann, Insa S Schroeder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Efforts to efficiently target brain tumors are constrained by the dearth of appropriate models to study tumor behavior toward treatment approaches as well as potential side effects to the surrounding normal tissue. We established a reproducible cerebral organoid model of brain tumorigenesis in an autologous setting by overexpressing

Understanding The Why: Patient, Parent, And Oncologist Perspectives On Prognostic Communication Preferences In Advanced Childhood Cancer, Erin Batchelor, Rachel A Kentor, Calliope Reeves, Harmony Farner, Shoshana Mehler, Caroline Christianson, Erica C Kaye

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background/objectives: High-quality prognostic communication in pediatric oncology is essential to support informed decision making, foster trust, and honor goals of care. While families differ in their preferences for how prognosis is discussed, clinicians often rely on assumptions rather than directly eliciting these preferences, risking misalignment and distress. To address this gap, we aimed to characterize patient, parent, and oncologist perspectives on key variables, experiences, and circumstances that influence their preferences for prognostic communication.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 85 participants (25 patients aged 12-25, 40 parents, and 20 oncologists) to elicit their preferences for prognostic communication and the reasons …

Reproducibility Of Statistically Significant Phase Iii Oncology Trials: An In Silico Meta-Epidemiological Analysis, Alexander D Sherry, Pavlos Msaouel, Avital M Miller, Timothy A Lin, Joseph Abi Jaoude, Ramez Kouzy, Adina H Passy, Tomer Meirson, Nikolaos Ignatiadis, Zachary R Mccaw, Erik Van Zwet, Ethan B Ludmir

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: The conventional assumption that P values ≤ 0.05 imply reproducible effects has come under recent criticism. This concern is particularly relevant in oncology, as phase III oncology trials, which directly inform practice, are usually not repeated. Using advanced modeling techniques, we investigated the relationship between P values and reproducibility in oncology.

Methods: We obtained the signal-to-noise ratio distribution in phase III oncology using outcomes from 632 two-arm superiority trials enrolling 496,219 patients. With this distribution, we estimated successful replication probability as the probability that a replicate trial, having the same design, effect size, and standard error, would have a …

Objective Performance Status: Enhancing Cancer Patient Fitness Assessment With Wearable Technology., Joseph Mccollom Do, Mazie Tsang

PCI Publications and Projects

Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review

Role Of Immunosuppressive Jnk Pathway In The Tumor Microenvironment Among Tnbc Subtypes In Ibcsg Trial 22–00, Andrea Joaquin Garcia, Takashi Semba, Mattia Rediti, Daniel J Mcgrail, Xuemei Xie, Xiaoping Wang, Dileep R Rampa, David Venet, Laurence Buisseret, Samira Majjaj, Roswitha Kammler, Marco Colleoni, Sherene Loi, Giuseppe Viale, Meredith M Regan, Françoise Rothé, Christos Sotiriou, Naoto T Ueno

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Phosphorylation of the JNK (pJNK) protein promotes an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), enhancing aggressiveness in inflammatory triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study evaluated the role of JNK signaling using a gene signature. RNA sequencing was performed on 347 TNBC tumors from the phase 3 International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) 22-00 trial, which evaluated adjuvant low-dose cyclophosphamide and methotrexate (CM). Immune-related tumors were identified by TNBC subtype or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Associations between JNK and outcomes were analyzed using Cox models. Low pJNK levels were associated with better disease-free survival (DFS) in immune-related tumors. These tumors also had lower Treg …

Occupational Therapy In Adolescent And Young Adult Oncology: An Educational Guidebook, Bailee N. Fleming, Lesley Khan-Farooqi

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients, typically aged 15 to 39, face numerous physical, emotional, and psychological challenges during and after treatment, which can significantly affect their quality of life and ability to engage in daily activities. While occupational therapy has proven effective in addressing these challenges, its integration into AYA cancer care remains underutilized. This project aimed to bridge the gap by developing a comprehensive guidebook for AYA oncology patients and their oncology care teams, providing an in-depth understanding of the impact of cancer and its treatments on occupational performance, and promoting the role of occupational therapy in …

Incidence Of And Risk Factors For Hospital-Acquired Bleeding In People With Cancer: A Systematic Review, Mansour Gergi, Jinah Kim, Amalia Dolan, Laura Haines, Ang Li, Neil A Zakai

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hospital-acquired (HA) bleeding (bleeding occurring during hospitalization) in cancer patients is poorly characterized, potentially increasing morbidity and mortality due to under- or overprescription of low-dose anticoagulation for venous thromboembolism prevention.

Objectives: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis (as appropriate) to identify the incidence of and risk factors for HA bleeding in people with cancer.

Methods: A systematic English-language search was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library. Keywords and controlled vocabulary related to bleeding risk in hospitalized cancer patients were iteratively refined. Studies assessing HA bleeding as a primary or coprimary endpoint were included, …

Optimising Exercise For Managing Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy In People Diagnosed With Cancer, Dhiaan Sidhu, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Jena Buchan, Kellie Toohey

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment. While exercise has shown promise in alleviating this burden, it remains underutilised in clinical practice due to the lack of accessible, clinician-friendly guidance. Aim: This review aimed to synthesise current evidence on exercise interventions for managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and provide practical insights to support clinicians in integrating these approaches into patient care. Methods: A search was conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus using keywords related to exercise and CIPN. Studies were included if they involved adults receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy and exercise-based interventions. Two authors independently …

Optimization Of Mhealth Behavioral Interventions For Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: The Health4cll Study, Che Young Lee, Max J Gordon, Melissa M Markofski, Emily C Lavoy, Susan K Peterson, Liang Li, Sara Fares, Miranda Baum, Margaret Pace, Danielle Walsh, Alessandra Ferrajoli, Karen Basen-Engquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This pilot study of a diet and physical activity intervention (HEALTH4CLL) was conducted to reduce fatigue and improve physical function (PF) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Methods: The HEALTH4CLL study used a randomized factorial design based on the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST). Patients received diet, exercise, and body weight management instructional materials plus a Fitbit and were randomized to undergo one of 16 combinations of 4 evidence-based mHealth intervention strategies over 16 weeks. Patients' fatigue, PF, health-related quality of life, behavior changes, and program satisfaction and retention were assessed. Paired t-tests were used to examine changes in …

Mitophagy’S Impacts On Cancer And Neurodegenerative Diseases: Implications For Future Therapies, Jason Huang, Vincent Truong Pham, Shaozi Fu, Gang Huang, Ya-Guang Liu, Lei Zheng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Substantial evidence supports an inverse relationship between cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), but few studies investigate the biological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. While previous explanations-such as inflammation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), genetic mutations, and cell death-remain significant, they ultimately converge on mitophagy. This review identifies mitophagy as a pivotal factor in the development of both cancer and NDDs, while also evaluating specific mechanisms and processes to clarify how mitophagy connects these opposing disease trajectories. By examining these factors, we aim to uncover the underlying mechanisms that explain the inverse relationship between cancer and NDDs, which will help develop therapeutic strategies …

Early Treatment Engagement And Long-Term Smoking Abstinence Among Women With Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Or Cervical Cancer, Charles E Hoogland, Steven K Sutton, Bethany Shorey Fennell, Vani N Simmons, Christine Vinci, Issam El Naqa, Ramzi G Salloum, Sanjay S Shete, Timothy Hembree, Damon J Vidrine, Jennifer I Vidrine

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Cancer survivors who quit smoking have improved treatment response and decreased mortality. Although data indicate that greater tobacco cessation treatment engagement leads to better cessation outcomes in cancer survivors, little is known about how different tobacco treatment engagement patterns influence long-term cessation success. To help address this issue, this study examined how tobacco treatment engagement patterns predict cessation outcomes through 18 months and identified baseline participant characteristics predictive of treatment engagement patterns.

Methods: Data from a smoking-cessation RCT among women with a history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or cervical cancer comparing a 12-month, 6-session motivation and problem solving phone …

Exploring Behavioural Motivations Of Treatment Refusal In Cancer: A Q-Methodological Approach, Ruby Koyllor A. Gleeson, Nicolas H. Hart, Darren Haywood, Frank D. Baughman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Cancer treatment refusal is known to lower survival rates and increase cancer symptoms in individuals with cancer. Behavioural motivations of treatment refusal need to be elucidated for better cancer care. Using Q-methodology, a mixed methods research approach, we explored behavioural motivations of treatment refusal in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Method: Thirty-nine individuals (n = 39; age = 49.2 ± 12.2 years) were recruited from Australia, the UK, and the USA, who had refused cancer treatment within the past decade. Participants completed an online demographic questionnaire and a Q-sort activity which required the organisation and ranking of 44 statements on …

Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Biomarker Heterogeneity Linked To Cdk4/6 Inhibitor Resistance In Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Ilenia Migliaccio, Martina Bonechi, Dario Romagnoli, Giulia Boccalini, Francesca Galardi, Cristina Guarducci, Agostina Nardone, Rachel Schiff, Laura Biganzoli, Luca Malorni, Matteo Benelli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cyclin dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors have brought great improvements in the treatment of luminal breast cancer, but resistance is a major clinical hurdle. Multiple biomarkers of resistance have been proposed, but none is currently utilized in clinical practice. By performing single-cell RNA sequencing of seven palbociclib-naïve luminal breast cancer cell lines and palbociclib-resistant derivatives, we show that established biomarkers and pathways related to CDK4/6i resistance present marked intra- and inter- cell-line heterogeneity. Transcriptional features of resistance could be already observed in naïve cells correlating with levels of sensitivity (IC50) to palbociclib. Resistant derivatives showed transcriptional clusters that significantly …

The Need For Targeted Prevention And Screening In Gastrointestinal Cancer Disparities, Jason C. Lin, John C. Lin, Joy Zhao

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Pan-Cancer Immune And Stromal Deconvolution Predicts Clinical Outcomes And Mutation Profiles, Bhavneet Bhinder, Verena Friedl, Sunantha Sethuraman, Davide Risso, Kami E Chiotti, R Jay Mashl, Kyle P Ellrott, Jordan A Lee, Christopher K Wong, Kofi Gyan, Aditya Deshpande, Marcin Imielinski, Rohan Bareja, Josh Stuart, Myron Peto, Katherine A Hoadley, Alexander J Lazar, Andrew D Cherniack, Jingchun Zhu, Shaolong Cao, Mark Rubin, Wenyi Wang, Oliver F Bathe, Nicolas Robine, Li Ding, Peter W Laird, Wanding Zhou, Hui Shen, Vésteinn Thorsson, Jen Jen Yeh, Matthew H Bailey, Daniel Cui Zhou, Xianlu L Peng, Mary Goldman, Yongsheng Li, Anil Korkut, Nidhi Sahni, D Neil Hayes, Michael K A Mensah, Ina Felau, Anab Kemal, Samantha Caesar-Johnson, John A Demchok, Liming Yang, Martin L Ferguson, Roy Tarnuzzer, Zhining Wang, Jean C Zenklusen, Paul Spellman, Olivier Elemento

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Traditional gene expression deconvolution methods assess a limited number of cell types, therefore do not capture the full complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we integrate nine deconvolution tools to assess 79 TME cell types in 10,592 tumors across 33 different cancer types, creating the most comprehensive analysis of the TME. In total, we found 41 patterns of immune infiltration and stroma profiles, identifying heterogeneous yet unique TME portraits for each cancer and several new findings. Our findings indicate that leukocytes play a major role in distinguishing various tumor types, and that a shared immune-rich TME cluster predicts better …

Breast And Prostate Cancer Survivors’ Understanding Of Risk And Management Of Cardiovascular And Musculoskeletal Side Effects Of Treatment: Findings From Focus Groups, Jack Dalla Via, Chris R. Andrew, Brenton J. Baguley, Nina Stewart, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joshua R. Lewis, Mandy Stanley, Mary A. Kennedy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Survival after a cancer diagnosis is improving, increasing the importance of understanding and managing long-term treatment-related adverse effects. This study aimed to understand breast and prostate cancer survivors’ understanding of how cancer treatment may affect cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health. Methods: Australian breast and prostate cancer survivors treated with therapies with known cardiovascular adverse effects were recruited via a private cancer care provider. Participants completed an online background questionnaire, then participated in a focus group. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: In total, 26 cancer survivors (15 breast, 11 prostate; mean age 67 years) …

A Follow-Up Study On The Novel Use Of Contrast-Enhanced Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging For Extremity Desmoid Fibromatosis Response Assessment, Raul F Valenzuela, Elvis Duran-Sierra, Mathew Antony, Behrang Amini, Sam Lo, Keila E Torres, Ken-Pin Hwang, Jingfei Ma, R Jasson Stafford, Ravin Ratan, John E Madewell, Dejka Araujo, William A Murphy, Colleen M Costelloe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Desmoid tumors are rare mesenchymal neoplasms characterized by a clonal proliferation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Using the novel contrast-enhanced susceptibility-weighted imaging (CE-SWI) for characterizing desmoid tumors can enhance the separation between fibrous T2-hypointense and cellular T1-enhancing components. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the CE-SWI signal, volumetric, and radiomics-derived features in assessing desmoid treatment response. This IRB-approved study included 17 single-lesion extremity desmoid fibromatosis patients who underwent standard-of-care MRI, including CE-SWI, from March 2021 to February 2024. Measurements of maximum diameter, volume, and the modified Choi (m-Choi: tumor/muscle T2 ratio) were computed based on CE-SWI and T2-STIR volumetric tumor …