Frontiers in oncology
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Frontiers in oncology · Jan 2018
Microstructure Characterization of Bone Metastases from Prostate Cancer with Diffusion MRI: Preliminary Findings.
To examine the usefulness of rich diffusion protocols with high b-values and varying diffusion time for probing microstructure in bone metastases. Analysis techniques including biophysical and mathematical models were compared with the clinical apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). ⋯ Both Kurtosis and VERDICT explained the diffusion signal better than ADC and IVIM, primarily due to poor fitting at high b-values in the latter two models. The Kurtosis and VERDICT models captured information at high b using parameters (Kurtosis or intracellular volume fraction and radius) that do not have a simple relationship with ADC and that may provide additional microstructural information in bone metastases.
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Frontiers in oncology · Jan 2018
Mutation Status and Immunohistochemical Correlation of KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF in 260 Chinese Colorectal and Gastric Cancers.
KRAS, NRAS and BRAF are kinases involved in the RAS-RAF-MAPK signaling pathway and also potential tumor-driven genes. Patients with KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutations are resistant to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody therapy. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the mutation status and distribution of KRAS/NRAS/BRAF in Chinese colorectal and gastric cancers, and to explore the histopathological changes and related immunohistochemical marker changes caused by these mutations. ⋯ Additionally, the mutation rate of BRAF detected by ARMS-PCR (1.77%) was significantly lower than that by immunohistochemistry (4.11%). It also showed that the KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutation status had a certain relationship with the expression of some immunohistochemical markers. This study provides more data support for clinical research on KRAS/NRAS/BRAF mutation in CRCs or gastric cancers.
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Frontiers in oncology · Jan 2018
Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Type-16 in Head and Neck Cancer Among the Chinese Population: A Meta-Analysis.
Background: The burden of head and neck cancer in China is heavier, and studies have shown that it may be associated with HPV infection, especially high-risk HPV. Objectives: We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the high-risk HPV-16 prevalence of head and neck cancer in the Chinese population. Methods: The reports on HPV and head and neck cancer in a Chinese population published between Jan 1, 2006 and Oct 23, 2018 were retrieved via WANFANG/CNKI/MEDLINE/EMBASE databases. ⋯ The highest HPV-16 prevalence was found in Central China. Conclusions: High prevalence of HPV-16 was found in the samples of Chinese head and neck cancers. Preventive HPV-vaccination may reduce the burden of HPV-related head and neck cancer in China.
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Frontiers in oncology · Jan 2018
Case ReportsCell-Free DNA Profiling to Discover Mechanisms of Exceptional Response to Cabozantinib Plus Panitumumab in a Patient With Treatment Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.
MET amplification is rare in treatment-naïve metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors, but can emerge as a mechanism of resistance to anti-EGFR therapies. Preclinical and clinical data suggest that patients with MET amplified tumors benefit from MET-targeted therapy. Cabozantinib is an inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases, included c-MET. ⋯ Although tumor tissue was negative for MET amplification, molecular profiling of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) revealed MET amplification. This case represents the first report showing the activity of cabozantinib in combination with panitumumab in a patient with metastatic CRC, and suggests that MET amplification in cfDNA may be a biomarker of response. A clinical trial targeting MET amplified metastatic CRC is currently underway.
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Frontiers in oncology · Jan 2018
Symptom Burden and Palliative Referral Disparities in an Ambulatory South Texas Cancer Center.
Background: The American Society of Clinical Oncology's recommendation for "dedicated palliative care services, early in the disease course, concurrent with active treatment" for cancer patients is a challenge for cancer centers to accommodate. Despite demonstrated benefits of concurrent care, disparities among socioeconomic and ethnic groups in access to supportive care services have been described. The aim of this project was to evaluate: (a) how insurance coverage and ethnicity impact patient symptom burden and, (b) how those factors influence palliative access for patients at a South Texas NCI-designated cancer center. ⋯ Conclusions: This project highlights the high symptom burden of oncology patients and disparities in access to services based on insurance coverage. This investigation revealed a 4-fold increase in the time to the first scheduled palliative care visit based on whether patients were insured vs. under-insured. While this study is limited by a small sample size, data suggest that under-insured oncology patients may have significant barriers to palliative care services, which may influence their cancer care quality.