Neoplasms Commons^™

Pancreatic Cancer Tumor Microenvironment Is A Major Therapeutic Barrier And Target, Conner Hartupee, Bolni Marius Nagalo, Chiswili Y. Chabu, Mulu Z. Tesfay, Joycelynn Coleman-Barnett, John T. West, Omeed Moaven

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is projected to become the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Limitations in early detection and treatment barriers contribute to the lack of substantial success in the treatment of this challenging-to-treat malignancy. Desmoplasia is the hallmark of PDAC microenvironment that creates a physical and immunologic barrier. Stromal support cells and immunomodulatory cells face aberrant signaling by pancreatic cancer cells that shifts the complex balance of proper repair mechanisms into a state of dysregulation. The product of this dysregulation is the desmoplastic environment that encases the malignant cells leading to a dense, hypoxic …

Lung Cancer In Ever- And Never-Smokers: Findings From Multi-Population Gwas Studies, Yafang Li, Xiangjun Xiao, Jianrong Li, Younghun Han, Chao Cheng, Gail F. Fernandes, Shannon E. Slewitzke, Susan M. Rosenberg, Meng Zhu, Jinyoung Byun, Yohan Bossé, James D. Mckay, Demetrios Albanes, Stephan Lam, Adonina Tardon, Chu Chen, Stig E. Bojesen, Maria T. Landi, Mattias Johansson, Angela Risch, Heike Bickeböller, H-Erich Wichmann, David C. Christiani, Gad Rennert, Susanne M. Arnold, Gary E. Goodman, John K. Field, Diptasri Mandal, Et Al

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Clinical, molecular, and genetic epidemiology studies displayed remarkable differences between ever- and never-smoking lung cancer. METHODS: We conducted a stratified multi-population (European, East Asian, and African descent) association study on 44,823 ever-smokers and 20,074 never-smokers to identify novel variants that were missed in the non-stratified analysis. Functional analysis including eQTL colocalization and DNA damage assays, and annotation studies were conducted to evaluate the functional roles of the variants. We further evaluated the impact of smoking quantity on lung cancer risk for the variants associated with ever-smoking lung cancer. RESULTS: Five novel independent loci, GABRA4, inter-genic region 12q24.33, LRRC4C, LINC01088, …

The Impact Of Lung Cancer Screening Education On Knowledge And Screening Rates In A Kentucky Cancer Survivorship Clinic, Alexandra Isler

DNP Projects

Background: Lung cancer is a significant problem in Kentucky, which ranks fourth in the nation in adults who currently smoke. Early detection, through lung cancer screening, can prevent untimely deaths. Several barriers to screening exist including lack of knowledge and awareness among patients regarding lung cancer screening. By increasing knowledge, at risk patients can take the necessary steps to decrease incidence of late stage diagnoses.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate patients’ knowledge of lung cancer screening and referral and screening rates before and after one-on-one patient education.

Methods: This was a quality improvement project that used …

A Rare Case Of Invasive Adenocarcinoma Of The Duodenum And A Bovel Biliary Stent: A Case Report, Sabastiana Sanz, Nasima Mehraban, Bradley Gustafson, Amjad Awan

North Texas Research Forum 2024

Adenocarcinoma of the duodenum is a rare but aggressive malignancy making up less than 0.5% of gastrointestinal cancer cases (Tuan et al., 2023), (Cloyd, 2016). We present a rare case of invasive adenocarcinoma of the first part of the duodenum and major papilla that required complex biliary stenting. A 72-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for further workup of gastrointestinal bleeding and 30-pound weight loss. Through imaging it was noted he had lymphadenopathy and biliary dilation. Patient underwent multiple gastrointestinal procedures and was endoscopically found to have a circumferential mass within the ampulla. After unsuccessful cannulation during endoscopic retrograde …

A Case Report Of Florid Liver Failure Responding Favorably To Targeted Therapy With Cetuximab And Encorafenib Following Treatment With Irinotecan And Bevacizumab In Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Maryam Fallahi, Omar Garcia, Joseph Kim

North Texas Research Forum 2024

Introduction: Colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer, is a globally widespread and formidable malignancy originating from the epithelial cells lining the colon and rectum. This disease, demonstrating geographical and demographic variations, particularly prevails in Western countries. The progression of colon cancer typically spans years, initiated by the development of adenomatous polyps, presenting an opportune timeframe for early detection and intervention. The substantial morbidity and mortality rates associated with colon cancer underscore its significance as a public health concern. Various risk factors, such as age, family history, genetic predisposition, inflammatory bowel diseases, and lifestyle factors like diet and physical activity, …

Screening For Colon Cancer In Adults Under And Over 50: Effects On Mortality Rates, Lauren M. Dean, Eve Daries, Ethan Grover, Morgan Howes, Kayla Loughman

Non-Thesis Student Work

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of adults under the age of 50 who are diagnosed with colon cancer, and many of these adults are diagnosed with stage III or IV. In 2018, the recommended age for initial colon cancer screening through colonoscopies decreased from age 50 to 45. Despite this, there are rising concerns about the effectiveness of current screening mechanisms and the recommended age for screening. These authors pose the question: among adults under the age of 50, how does colon cancer screening impact mortality rates compared to those over the age of 50? A …

Next Top Model: An Overview Of Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Models, Pooja Agrawal, Carolyn Audet, Laura Ernst, Katie Lang, Sonya Reid, Katie Davis, Rebecca Selove, Maureen Sanderson, Lucy Spalluto

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Screen It Out! Improving Colon Cancer Screening Among Kingwood Clinic Patients, Daniel J. Avila Castillo, Bhavin Patel, Dhruv Patel, Rajeev Raghavan, Zuhair Ali

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Colon Adenocarcinoma Mimicking Acute Appendicitis In A 28-Year-Old, Bridget Kowalczyk, Edward Pingenot, Vivek Bansal

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Obstructive Esophageal Mass In A 40-Year Old Female Presenting As Intractable Vomiting And Early Dka: A Case Report, Caroline Andrews, Rachel Hogan

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

An Interesting Case Of Hypothyroidism In The Critical Care Setting, Lance Mwangi, Ladi Larry

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Extra-Axial Chordoma And Review Of The Literature, Corbrielle Boulard, Valerae O. Lewis, Robert L. Satcher, Wei-Lien Wang

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Colon Cancer With Ovarian Metastasis Presenting As Syncope And Melena, Raul E. Zambrana Valenzuela, Bryan Kharbanda

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Thoracic Spine Lesion With Paralysis: A Rare Presentation Of Plasmacytoma, Daniel Khashchuk, Natarajan Venkatayan

Gulf Coast Division Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Surgical Margin Analysis In Early-Stage Cervical Cancer: An Hca Retrospective Study, Chrystal Stallworth, Abel Moron, Nicole Tenzel, Timothy Kremer, Michele Mccarroll

North Texas Research Forum 2024

Objective: This study aimed to compare surgical margin analysis on final pathology in robotic assisted approach hysterectomy vs. all other approaches in early-stage cervical cancer. Methods: Patients with clinical early-stage disease who underwent total and radical hysterectomy from the years 2018-2023 were categorized into robotic assisted approach group (RAH) vs all other approaches including laparoscopic hysterectomy (LAH), laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), and open hysterectomy (TAH). Fisher’s exact test was used for analysis of the primary outcome measure. Results: A total of 92 patients met inclusion criteria. Mode of surgery included: 83 RAH (90.2%), 6 LAH (6.5%), 2 TAH (2.17%), …

Comparing The Ppv Of At-Home Screening Tests With Chronic Anticoagulant And/Or Antiplatelet Therapies, Bradley Gustafson, Nasima Mehraban, Amjad Awan, Michele Mccarroll

North Texas Research Forum 2024

BACKGROUND: With the rising incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC), early diagnosis and treatment is imperative. At-home CRC screening kits are a non-invasive Federal Drug Association (FDA) approved designed to detects either hemoglobin or DNA markers associated for CRC and high-grade polyps. Therefore, therapies that have a propensity to increase rates of gastrointestinal bleeding could theoretically lead to higher false positive rates. The goal of this study was to determine the positive predictive value of at-home screening tests when applied to patients on therapies such as antiplatelet, anticoagulant, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), or a combination of the three. METHODS: The …

Primary Resection Of Duodenal Neuroendocrine Tumor With Suspected Lymph Node Metastasis: A Case Report, Raleigh Payton, David Bassa, Furrukh Jabbar, Hassan Ahmed

North Texas Research Forum 2024

Introduction: Duodenal neuroendocrine carcinomas are an uncommon variant of Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that are typically non-functional with locoregional spread at the time of diagnosis. Management of these tumors is dependent on size, grade, stage, functional status and location. Summary: A 66-year-old male presented with an incidental finding of low grade 3 centimeter duodenal NET on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) located in the second segment of the duodenum with evidence of lymphadenopathy on staging scans. In patients with suspected lymph node metastases, the first choice for curative intent is a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), also known as Whipple Procedure. We achieved surgical resection with free …

Retrospective Review Of Adverse Events After Treatment Of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer With Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy, Marshall Hall, Henry Lim, Jason Pham, Alyssa Forsyth, Wenqin Du

North Texas Research Forum 2024

No abstract provided.

Geometric Favre-Racouchot Syndrome Following Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy, Marshall Hall, Cecilia Nguyen, Christian Scheufele, Christopher M. Wong, Stephen E. Weis

North Texas Research Forum 2024

Introduction: Favre-Racouchot Syndrome is a cutaneous disease characterized by nodules, cysts, and comedones located in sun-exposed areas of the face. It is most commonly found on the bilateral temporal and periorbital skin. Favre-Racouchot Syndrome is most associated with chronic sun exposure. It occurs more commonly in cigarette smokers. It has been rarely associated with radiation therapy. It has not been reported after image-guided superficial radiation therapy or in a geometric pattern. Case presentation: We present the first two recorded cases of Favre-Racouchot Syndrome occurring in the setting of image-guided superficial radiation therapy. Both patients presented with well-demarcated geometric plaques with …

Thymoma With Paraneoplastic Myasthenia Gravis, Dallin Beus, Sherwin Thomas, Amnah Andrabi

North Texas Research Forum 2024

Background: Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. Paraneoplastic myasthenia gravis, a rare manifestation of this condition, is often associated with underlying malignancies, such as thymic tumors. We present the case of a 51-year-old female patient with a mediastinal mass who developed paraneoplastic myasthenia gravis, highlighting the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic considerations in such cases. Case Description: A 51-year-old female presented with a one-month history of progressive muscle weakness, diplopia, and dysphagia. Clinical examination and serological tests led to the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. Computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed a 6 cm mediastinal mass, …