Kassis, Salam Al

Background: Nurtec, a versatile migraine medication, has gained popularity. However, the awareness of migraine surgery remains uncertain. Methods: Following a descriptive approach, this cross-sectional study used Google Trends data as of December 1, 2023, to analyze internet search patterns. Approval from Vanderbilt University’s institutional review board and adherence to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines were confirmed. Monthly relative search volume (RSV) data for “migraine surgery,” “Nurtec,” and “Rimegepant” were collected from January 1, 2004, to November 11, 2023, within the United States. Statistical analysis involved determining mean monthly RSV values and percentage changes for critical periods. Results: For “Nurtec,” a significant surge in RSV occurred from March 2020 to April 2020 (344%). Additional peaks were observed from June 2020 to July 2020 (66%), October 2020 to December 2020 (169%), May 2021 to June 2021 (33%), and May 2023 to June 2023 (14%). “Migraine surgery” exhibited a notable 400% increase in RSV, from March 2005 to May 2005. However, post-2006, RSV for “migraine surgery” consistently remained low without noticeable peaks. Conclusions: The analysis of RSV trends for “Nurtec” and “migraine surgery” from 2004 to 2023 reveals the impact of pivotal events and marketing strategies on public interest. The distinct peaks in “Nurtec” RSV align with Food & Drug Administration approvals and marketing campaigns, highlighting the medication’s accessibility. Conversely, the consistently low RSV for “migraine surgery” indicates limited awareness, emphasizing the need for enhanced promotion and education regarding surgical interventions.

BACKGROUND: Bioimpedance spectroscopy has been suggested as a useful tool for early diagnosis of breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL). We aimed to describe the outcomes of published studies that evaluated bioimpedance analysis as a method for prospective surveillance and early diagnosis of BCRL. METHODS: We queried the PubMed, Ovid Medline, and EMBASE databases to identify studies that evaluated use of bioimpedance spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool. We used the keywords “bioimpedance” AND (“lymphedema” OR “lymphoedema”) in the search. Only English-language studies that reported quantitative outcomes for patients with BCRL were included. RESULTS: Of 152, 235 and 116 identified articles in PubMed, Ovid Medline and EMBASE databases, only 22 were included. Use of bioimpedance analysis for prospective surveillance has been shown to prevent chronic BCRL. All the cross-sectional and retrospective studies that evaluated bioimpedance for diagnosis of BCRL reported significantly different L-Dex scores between lymphedema patients and healthy participants; in addition, bioimpedance scores were positively correlated with volume of lymphedema. CONCLUSION: Bioimpedance analysis is a potential tool with demonstrated benefits for prevention of chronic BCRL and may be an economic and great alternative for early diagnosis of BCRL.

AbstractBackgroundAmelanotic melanoma is an extremely rare subtype of cutaneous melanoma. The tumor characteristics are still not well understood, especially for those located in the head and neck.MethodsTumor characteristics of patients diagnosed with amelanotic melanoma of the head and neck (AMHN) from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2015, were analyzed by querying the National Cancer Database. Characteristics of AMHN were subsequently compared with common malignant melanoma of the head and neck (CMMHN).ResultsThree hundred and sixty‐eight patients were diagnosed with AMHN, and 69,267 were diagnosed with CMMHN. Of those with AMHN, 128 (34.8%) had melanoma located on the scalp and neck, and 172 (46.7%) were diagnosed with an early disease stage (i.e., 0, I, or II). When compared with CMMHN, patients with AMHN were more likely to be diagnosed after 80 years of age (25.3% vs. 18.2%; odds ratio [OR], 3.28; 95% CI, 1.09–9.84; P = 0.03), when Breslow depth was between 2.01 and 4.00 mm (28.5% vs. 6.5%; OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.15–3.19; P = 0.01), when ulceration was present (36.7% vs. 9.0%; OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.34–2.97; P = 0.001), and when mitotic count was 1 or more/mm2 (40.5% vs. 12.8%; OR; 2.53; 95% CI, 1.09–5.89; P = 0.03). No statistical difference was found for sex, specific location, stage, or lymph node involvement.ConclusionOur study determined that AMHN is associated with older age, increased Breslow depth, presence of ulceration, and greater mitotic count when compared with CMMHN.

Breast cancer treatment-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common comorbidity in breast cancer survivors. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to evaluate therapeutic response of patients with various medical conditions, it is not routinely used to evaluate lymphedema patients. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify studies on the use of MRI to evaluate therapy for BCRL. We hypothesized that MRI could provide information otherwise not possible through other examinations. On October 21, 2019, we conducted a systematic review on the PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases, without time frame or language limitations, to identify studies on the use of MRI to evaluate therapy for BCRL. We excluded studies that investigated other applications of MRI, such as lymphedema diagnosis and surgical planning. Of 63 potential articles identified with the search, three case series fulfilled the eligibility criteria. In total, 53 patients with BCRL were included and quantitatively evaluated with MRI before and after manual lymphatic drainage. Authors used MRI or MR lymphagiography to investigate factors such as lymphatic vessel cross-sectional area, tissue water relaxation time (T2), and chemical exchange saturation transfer. The only study that compared MRI measurement with standard examinations reported that MRI added information to the therapy evaluation. MRI seems to be a promising tool for quantitative measurement of therapeutic response in patients with BCRL. However, the identified studies focused on only manual lymphatic drainage and were limited by the small numbers of patients. More studies are necessary to shed light on the topic.