Oncology Commons^™

Plasma Growth Hormone Is A Potential Biomarker Of Response To Atezolizumab And Bevacizumab In Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients, Yehia I Mohamed, Dan G Duda, Muhammad O Awiwi, Sunyoung S Lee, Lina Altameemi, Lianchun Xiao, Jeffrey S Morris, Robert A Wolff, Khaled M Elsayes, Rikita I Hatia, Aliya Qayyum, Shadi M Chamseddine, Asif Rashid, James C Yao, Armeen Mahvash, Manal M Hassan, Hesham M Amin, Ahmed Omar Kaseb

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has limited systemic therapy options when discovered at an advanced stage. Thus, there is a need for accessible and minimally invasive biomarkers of response to guide the selection of patients for treatment. This study investigated the biomarker value of plasma growth hormone (GH) level as a potential biomarker to predict outcome in unresectable HCC patients treated with current standard therapy, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study included unresectable HCC patients scheduled to receive Atezo/Bev. Patients were followed to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Plasma GH levels were measured by ELISA and …

Standard Deviations Of Mr Signal Intensities Show A Consistent Trend During Imaging Follow-Ups For Glioblastoma Patients When Corrected For Non-Biological Heterogeneity Due To Hardware And Software Variation, Subhendra N. Sarkar, Rafael Rojas, Evans Lespinasse, Xiang Fu Zhang, Ruth Zeron

Publications and Research

Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has a poor prognosis in spite of advanced MRI guided treatments today. Routine MRI using conventional T1 or advanced permeability based MRI of GBM often does not adequately represent changing tumor phases or overall survival. In this work, region of interest (ROI) based tissue MR standard deviation (SD) is demonstrated as an important MRI variable that could be a potential biomarker of GBM heterogeneity and radioresistance. Materials and methods: MRI characterization is often qualitative and lacks reproducibility. Using standardized MRI phantoms we have normalized retrospective records of 12 radioresistant GBM patients that underwent radiation therapy (RT) …

A Single Centre Experience Of Local Perforator Flaps In Oncoplastic Breast Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sana Zeeshan, Lubna Vohra, Uzma Shamsi, Nida Zahid, Danish Ali, Nargis Asad, Cristina Garusi

Section of General Surgery

Background & objectives: Various oncoplastic techniques have emerged over the years to preserve breast cosmesis and symmetry without compromising the principles of tumor excision. One of the newer techniques for breast volume replacement to achieve symmetry and cosmesis is the use of fasciocutaneous pedicled chest wall perforator flaps or local perforator flaps (LPF). The objectives of this study were to document the details of the surgical procedure as well as patient-reported satisfaction and well-being following the procedure using a validated BREAST-Q tool among Pakistani women.
Materials & methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2021 enrolling …

Chemoradiation Therapy Alters The Pd-L1 Score In Locoregional Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinomas Of The Head And Neck, Brian J Park, Austin K Mattox, Daniel Clayburgh, Mihir Patel, R Bryan Bell, Bevan Yueh, Rom Leidner, Hong Xiao, Marcus Couey, Shiting Li, Tingting Qin, Maureen A Sartor, Belinda Cairns, Tracy Macdonough, Kyle Halliwill, Daniel Deschler, Derrick T Lin, William C Faquin, Peter M Sadow, Sara I Pai

Journal Articles

PD-L1 testing guides therapeutic decision-making for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We sought to understand whether chemoradiation therapy (CRT) influences the PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) and other biomarkers of response to immunotherapy. PD-L1 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry, and bulk RNA sequencing was performed on 146 HNSCC patients (65 primary sites, 50 paired local recurrences, and 31 paired regional recurrences). PD-L1 was scored using the CPS of ≥1, ≥20, and ≥50. Overall, 98 %, 54 %, and 17 % of HNSCCs had a CPS ≥1, ≥20, and ≥50, respectively. When using a cut-off of ≥1, CRT did …

Expansion Of The Detrusor Muscular Ring Surrounding The Bladder Neck On Mri: Moving Beyond The Prostate As An Etiology Of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Due To Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Kiran Nandalur, David Walker, Hong Ye, Sayf A. Al-Katib, Brian Seifman, David Gangwish, Abhay Dhaliwal, Connor Ervin, Kayla Dobies, Channing Sesoko, Sirisha Nandalur, Bernadette Zwaans, Jennifer Nguyen, Jason Hafron

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Purpose: The etiology of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) remains uncertain. The purpose of our study was to quantitatively analyze pelvic anatomic characteristics on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess for independent factors for symptoms.
*Methods and Materials: This retrospective single-institution study evaluated treatment-naïve men who underwent prostate MRI within 3 months of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) from June 2021 to February 2022. Factors measured on MRI included: detrusor muscular ring surrounding the bladder neck measured as area and alternatively diameter, central gland (CG) mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), levator hiatus (LH) volume, intrapelvic …

Simultaneous Onset Of Haematological Malignancy And Covid: An Epicovideha Survey, Chiara Cattaneo, Jon Salmanton-García, Francesco Marchesi, Shaimaa El-Ashwah, Federico Itri, Barbora Weinbergerová, Maria Gomes Da Silva, Michelina Dargenio, Julio Dávila-Valls, Natasha Ali

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: The outcome of patients with simultaneous diagnosis of haematological malignancies (HM) and COVID-19 is unknown and there are no specific treatment guidelines.
Methods: We describe the clinical features and outcome of a cohort of 450 patients with simultaneous diagnosis of HM and COVID-19 registered in the EPICOVIDEHA registry between March 2020 to February 2022.
Results: Acute leukaemia and lymphoma were the most frequent HM (35.8% and 35.1%, respectively). Overall, 343 (76.2%) patients received treatment for HM, which was delayed for longer than one month since diagnosis in 57 (16.6%). An overall response rate was observed in 140 (40.8%) patients …

Chronic Diarrhea: A Rare Presentation Of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Saira Furqan, Sajjad Ali Khan, Dania Ali, Kaleemullah Badini

Section of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism

Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a cancer affecting the lymphatic system. There are two subtypes of Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Nodular lymphocyte predominant (NLPHL) and classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma which has further four types. It has a bimodal distribution and is more common among males. The most common presentation is painless swelling in the neck, armpit or groin region. Associated Symptoms include night sweats, unintentional weight loss, fever, persistent cough or dyspnea. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is a rare occurrence. Diagnosis is based on hematological, radiological and histochemical studies. Here we report a rare presentation of a 47-year-old male who presented with symptoms of …

Prostate Imaging Reporting And Data System Score (Pi-Rads) And Glutathione S-Transferase P1 Methylation Status (Gst-P1) In The Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer Patients With Borderline Psa Values, Marius Stan, Vladimir Botnarciuc, Andra Iulia Suceveanu, Andreea Cristina Costea, Adrian Paul Suceveanu, Laura Mazilu, Ciprian Iorga, Tony Hangan, Corneliu Tudor, Dragos Epistatu, Sergiu Chirila, Viorel Gherghina, Felix Voinea

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objectives. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential use of Prostate Imaging – Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS) in combination with Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GST-P1) expression for an improved diagnosis of prostate cancer, in patients with inconclusive values of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Materials and Methods. The study was conducted on 80 patients for whom PSA values were evaluated and were found to be inconclusive (4-10 ng/ml). These patients underwent imagistic evaluation (PI-RADS), followed by transurethral prostate biopsy, with the evaluation of GST-P1 expression and histopathological examination (for diagnosis confirmation). Results. By combining the results of …

Surgical And Oncological Outcomes Of Hepatic Resection For Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Report From A Low Volume Centre In A Developing Country, Muhammad Rizwan Khan, Saleema Begum, Muhammad Tayyab Ul Hasan Siddiqui

Section of General Surgery

Objective: To review the surgical and oncological outcomes of patients who underwent hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Study design: Cohort study.
Place and duration of study: Department of Surgery of the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, from 2008 to 2019.
Methodology: Consecutive patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC at the Hospital were included. The data were collected and analysed on aspects including demographics, liver function status, tumour characteristics, perioperative management, and surgical and oncological outcomes. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test was applied to determine the influence of variables on overall and disease-free …

Time For Reintroducing Hpv Vaccine In Pakistan For Primary Prevention Of Cervical Cancer, Uzma Shamsi, Afshan Anwar, Zainab Samad

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Breast Cancer In A Teenage Girl With Brca Mutation: A Case Report From A Low Middle-Income Country, Lubna Mushtaque Vohra, Danish Ali, Syeda Amrah Hashmi, Meher Angez

Section of General Surgery

Introduction: A staggering majority of pediatric breast masses are benign (mostly fibroadenoma) and so a biopsy is not readily performed as it can potentially lead to a future breast disfigurement. However, this should not be standard practice as this can lead to a delayed diagnosis, and hence, the treatment of pediatric breast cancer (BC); this was also seen in our patient's scenario.
Case history: Here, we report the case of the youngest known breast cancer patient in Pakistan, a 15-year-old girl. The right-sided breast lump which was diagnosed clinically as a fibroadenoma later turned out to be stage IIb pT3N0M0 …

Association Between Acute Kidney Injury And Long-Term Mortality In Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Study, Yangchun Xiao, Jun Wan, Yu Zhang, Xing Wang, Hanwen Zhou, Han Lai, Weelic Chong, Yang Hai, L Dade Lunsford, Chao You, Shui Yu, Fang Fang

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: Though acute kidney injury (AKI) in the context of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) worsens short-term outcomes, its impact on long-term survival is unknown.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the association between long-term mortality and AKI during hospitalization for aSAH.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who survived >12 months after aSAH. All patients were evaluated at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, between December 2013 and June 2019. The minimum follow-up time was over 1 year. the maximum follow-up time was about 7.3 years. AKI was defined by the KDIGO (The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) guidelines, which …

Immunohistochemical Detection And Prognostic Significance Of P53, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, Murine Double Minute 2, And Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 In Glioblastoma Multiforme Patients Of Pakistan, Syed Muhammad Adnan Ali, Muhammad Shahzad Shamim, Syed Ather Enam, Zubair Ahmad, Yumna Adnan, Hasnain Ahmed Farooqui

Department of Surgery

Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest cranial tumors occurring in adults. Various biomarkers have been tested for their significance in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of GBM. Some well-studied markers in GBM are Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), Murine double minute 2 (MDM2), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), and p53. The aim of this study was to investigate the protein expression of these markers in GBM patients of Pakistan.
Methods: A total of 102 surgically resected formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from patients diagnosed and treated at Aga Khan University Hospital were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for IDH1, MDM2, …

Esophageal Carcinoma And Associated Risk Factors: A Case-Control Study In Two Tertiary Care Hospitals Of Kabul, Afghanistan, Ramin Saadaat, Jamshid Abdul-Ghafar, Ahmed Maseh Haidary, Nooria Atta, Tazeen Saeed Ali

Community Health Sciences

Purpose: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the most common cancer among males in Afghanistan, thus we aimed to conduct a case-control study to determine the associated risk factors with EC in two tertiary care hospitals of Kabul, Afghanistan.
Patients and methods: We enrolled 132 EC cases and 132 controls and used conditional logistic regression to estimate the odds ratio (OR) with consideration of 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results: The results of our study revealed that esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) was the predominant type of EC constituting 75.8% of the cases. The results of the multivariate logistic analysis showed that males …

Neither Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Nor Cytotoxic T Cells Predict Enhanced Benefit From Chemotherapy In The Dbcg77b Phase Iii Clinical Trial, Elahe Shenasa, Elisabeth Specht Stovgaard, Maj-Britt Jensen, Karama Asleh, Nazia Riaz, Dongxia Gao, Samuel Leung, Bent Ejlertsen, Anne-Vibeke Laenkholm, Torsten O. Nielsen

Section of General Surgery

Recent studies have shown that immune infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment play a role in response to therapy, with some suggesting that patients with immunogenic tumors may receive increased benefit from chemotherapies. We evaluated this hypothesis in early breast cancer by testing the interaction between immune biomarkers and chemotherapy using materials from DBCG77B, a phase III clinical trial where high-risk premenopausal women were randomized to receive chemotherapy or no chemotherapy. Tissue microarrays were evaluated for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) assessed morphologically on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides, and by immunohistochemistry for CD8, FOXP3, LAG-3, PD-1 and PD-L1. Following REMARK reporting guidelines, data …

Development Of Advanced Mr-Guided Adaptive Radiation Therapy Methods For Head & Neck Cancers On The 1.5t Mr-Linac, Brigid Mcdonald

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The 1.5T hybrid MRI/linear accelerator (MR-linac) has recently been introduced into clinical practice and used for the treatment of head and neck cancers (HNC). This device enables on-line adaptive radiation therapy (ART) based on anatomical changes throughout treatment and variations in patient position. This novel technology also has the potential for advanced ART strategies such as dose-optimized ART, in which the treatment plan is optimized based on the accumulated dose over previous fractions, or biological image-guided ART, in which the plan is adapted based on individual tumor response as measured through quantitative imaging techniques such as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). The …

Case Report: Axilla Fibroadenoma - An Atypical Presentation, Safna Naozer Virji, Lubna Mushtaque Vohra, Syeda Sakina Abidi, Romana Idress

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

Absolute Quantification Of Tc-99m Activity Distributions Using A Planar Molecular Breast Imaging Commercial System, Benjamin P. Lopez

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Molecular breast imaging (MBI) uses two dedicated-breast semiconductor detectors to visualize the preferential uptake of technetium-99m-sestamibi (^99mTc-sestamibi) by breast cancer cells relative to surrounding benign breast tissues. Clinically, MBI is used primarily as a supplementary tool to standard-of-care mammography because of its improved detection of breast cancers, especially in women with mammographically-dense breasts. Because of a lack of image corrections, MBI applications are currently limited to qualitative evaluations of relative pixel intensities between image regions with suspected lesions and normal tissue.

The objective of this dissertation was to use Monte Carlo simulations to better characterize the MBI imaging …

Radiation Therapy For Older Women With Early Breast Cancer: An Unnecessary Hardship, Lauren E. Shawver

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report appraising:

Kunkler IH, Williams LJ, Jack WJ, Cameron DA, Dixon JM; PRIME II investigators. Breast-conserving surgery with or without irradiation in women aged 65 years or older with early breast cancer (PRIME II): a randomised controlled trial [published correction appears in Lancet Oncol. 2015 Mar;16(3):e105]. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16(3):266-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(14)71221-5

for an older patient seeking treatment for Stage 1 Ductal Breast Carcinoma

Automating 4dct-Ventilation Imaging Generation Using Ai-Based Advanced Lung Contours, Yingxuan Chen, Sohrab Pahlavan, Paul Jacobs, Farnoush Forghani, Edward Castillo, Richard Castillo, Yevgeniy Vinogradskiy

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Purpose: Functional avoidance radiotherapy uses functional imaging to reduce pulmonary toxicity by designing radiotherapy plans that reduce doses to functional lung. A novel form of lung functional imaging applied for functional avoidance uses 4DCT imaging to calculating 4DCT-based lung ventilation (4DCT-ventilation). The process of generating 4DCT-ventilation images requires advanced lung segmentation (consisting of a standard lung with airway and vasculature removed) which is a manual and time-consuming process. The purpose of this work is to automate 4DCT-ventilation imaging generation using AI-based auto-segmentation techniques for advanced lung contouring.

Methods: 429 patients with 4DCT data from two institutions were used. Three methods …

End-To-End Commissioning & Treatment Plan Quality Assurance For Cranial Single-Isocenter Multi-Target (Simt) Radiosurgery, Cory Knill

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Financial Toxicity Tumor Board: A Multi-Disciplinary Team Activity Required In Low And Middle-Income Countries (Lmic), Ahmed Nadeem Abbasi, Sohail Rasool, Laraib Khan

Department of Radiation Oncology

No abstract provided.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Image-Guided Intervention: Quantitative Characterization Of Reagents For Thermochemical Ablation, Emily A. Thompson

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Thermochemical ablation (TCA) is a minimally invasive therapy under development for hepatocellular carcinoma, a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. TCA utilizes acid-base chemistry delivered simultaneously to induce local ablation when administered. When delivered via a mixing catheter placed directly into the tumor, acid (e.g., AcOH) and base (e.g., NaOH) react to completion at the catheter tip, producing the acetate salt, water, and releasing heat (Δ>50°C) in sufficient quantities to induce lethal osmotic and thermal stress in tumor cells. However, these two reagents are not distinguishable from tissues with noninvasive imaging modalities, which makes monitoring the delivery of TCA …

Integration Of Biomedical Imaging And Translational Approaches For Management Of Head And Neck Cancer, Abdallah Mohamed, Abdallah Mohamed

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The aim of the clinical component of this work was to determine whether the currently available clinical imaging tools can be integrated with radiotherapy (RT) platforms for monitoring and adaptation of radiation dose, prediction of tumor response and disease outcomes, and characterization of patterns of failure and normal tissue toxicity in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients with potentially curable tumors. In Aim 1, we showed that the currently available clinical imaging modalities can be successfully used to adapt RT dose based-on dynamic tumor response, predict oncologic disease outcomes, characterize RT-induced toxicity, and identify the patterns of disease failure. We …

Patient Reported Experience In A Radiation Oncology Department, Demetra Yannitsos, Petra Grendarova, Abdulla Al-Rashdan, Linda Watson, Wendy Smith, Fiona Lochray, Jackson Wu, Lisa Barbera

Patient Experience Journal

Understanding patient experience is essential to providing high quality, person-centered care. A real-time baseline cross-sectional study was completed to identify gaps in patient experience that can be targeted for quality improvement (QI). This study is part of PROSE (Person-centered Radiation Oncology Service Enhancement), a QI initiative developed to improve patient experience at a tertiary cancer centre Radiation Oncology (RO) Department. Data was collected using the Your Voice Matters (YVM) questionnaire. The YVM captures information on the patient’s last visit, and questions are organized based on dimensions of person-centered care. Recruitment occurred between May and August 2019 in the radiation department. …

The Benign Mimickers Of Carcinoma On Breast Mri, Irmak Durur-Subasi, Adem Karaman, Elif Demirci, Sare Sipal, Mufide Nuran Akcay

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The similarity between benign and malignant pathologies on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a wide-ranging variability of the lesions from benign proliferative changes to invasive breast carcinoma cause a lower and wide-ranging specificity of breast MRI relative to its surpass sensitivity. A wide range of tissue components such as the skin, the adipose tissue, vascular and neural tissues, connective tissues, glandular tissues, ducts, and muscle tissues are found here all together. This pictorial review was aimed at deliberating benign mimickers of breast carcinoma on MRI and trying to call attention to the overlapping and distinctive features.

Mcph1: A Novel Case Report And A Review Of The Literature, Stefano Giuseppe Caraffi, Marzia Pollazzon, Muhammad Farooq, Ambrin Fatima, Lars Allan Larsen, Roberta Zuntini, Manuela Napoli, Livia Garavelli

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Microcephaly primary hereditary (MCPH) is a congenital disease characterized by nonsyndromic reduction in brain size due to impaired neurogenesis, often associated with a variable degree of intellectual disability (ID). The genetic etiology of MCPH is heterogeneous and comprises more than 20 loci, nearly all following a recessive inheritance pattern. The first causative gene identified, MCPH1 or Microcephalin, encodes a centrosomal protein that modulates chromosome condensation and cell cycle progression. It is also involved in DNA damage response and telomere maintenance in the nucleus. Despite numerous studies on MCPH1 function, MCPH1-affected individuals are rare and the available clinical reports are …

18 Fdg Pet/Ct Imaging In Carcinoma Cesophagus, Maseeh Uz Zaman, Nosheen Fatima

Department of Radiology

No abstract provided.

Efficacy And Safety Of Direct Oral Anticoagulants With And Without Aspirin: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Talal Almas, Adeena Musheer, Arooba Ejaz, Fahd Niaz Shaikh, Anousheh Awais Paracha, Fizza Raza, Maryam Sarwar Khan, Fahad Masood, Faiza Siddiqui, Muhammad Hasnain Mankani

Medical College Documents

Background: Various anticoagulant therapies are prescribed to patients under physicians' discretion and recently Direct Oral Anticoagulants(DOAC) have been under trials to evaluate their safety and efficacy. In addition to this, the regimen of DOACs and Aspirin is of keen interest as researchers continue to find an optimal regimen to treat blood clots in patients. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies that asses the safety and efficacy of DOAC with and without Aspirin.
Methods: We queried MEDLINE and Cochrane CENTRAL from their inception to April 2021, for published and randomized controlled …

High Cd44 Immunoexpression Correlates With Poor Overall Survival: Assessing The Role Of Cancer Stem Cell Markers In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients From The High-Risk Population Of Pakistan, Yumna Mirza, Syed Adnan Ali, Hasnain Ahmed Farooqui, Hammad A. Kayani, Romana Idress, Mohammad Sohail Awan

Department of Surgery

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a top-ranked cancer in the Pakistani population, and patient survival has remained unchanged at ∼50% for several decades. Recent advances have claimed that a subset of tumour cells, called cancer stem cells (CSCs), are responsible for tumour progression, treatment resistance, and metastasis, which leads to a poor prognosis. This study investigated the impact of CSC markers expression on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of OSCC patients. Materials and Methods. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate CD44, CD133, L1CAM, and SOX2 expression in a well-characterized cohort of 100 Pakistani patients with primary treatment …