Transscrotal Near Infrared Spectroscopy as a Diagnostic Test for Testis Torsion in Pediatric Acute Scrotum: A Prospective Comparison to Gold Standard Diagnostic Test Study
Efficacy of the PARP Inhibitor Veliparib with Carboplatin or as a Single Agent in Patients with Germline
BRCA1
- or
BRCA2
-Associated Metastatic Breast Cancer: Ca
Poly(GP) proteins are a promising pharmacodynamic marker for developing and testing therapeutics for treating C9ORF72 -associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 Delirium Severity Scale: A Novel Delirium Severity Instrument for Use in the ICU
Objectives: Delirium severity is independently associated with longer hospital stays, nursing home placement, and death in patients outside the ICU. Delirium severity in the ICU is not routinely measured because the available instruments are difficult to complete in critically ill patients. We designed our study to assess the reliability and validity of a new ICU delirium severity tool, the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 delirium severity scale. Design: Observational cohort study. Setting: Medical, surgical, and progressive ICUs of three academic hospitals. Patients: Five hundred eighteen adult (≥ 18 yr) patients. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Patients received the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU, Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale, and Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 assessments. A 7-point scale (0–7) was derived from responses to the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale items. Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.85) and good correlation with Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 scores (correlation coefficient = 0.64). Known-groups validity was supported by the separation of mechanically ventilated and nonventilated assessments. Median Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 scores demonstrated good predictive validity with higher odds (odds ratio = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.30–1.66) of in-hospital mortality and lower odds (odds ratio = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.72–0.9) of being discharged home after adjusting for age, race, gender, severity of illness, and chronic comorbidities. Higher Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 scores were also associated with increased length of ICU stay (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 is a valid and reliable delirium severity measure among ICU patients. Further research comparing it to other delirium severity measures, its use in delirium efficacy trials, and real-life implementation is needed to determine its role in research and clinical practice.
Abstract P1-07-09: A multi-OMIC analysis to explore the impact of “actionable” genomic alterations on protein pathway activation: Clinical implication for precision medicine in metastatic breast cancer
Abstract Background: While genomic alterations are central players in tumor progression, proteins are the targets for precision therapy. The degree by which “actionable” genomic alterations translate into activated/altered proteins and pathway is still under investigation. Using a multi-OMIC approach from the SideOut 2 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) trial, this study explored the concordance between selected “actionable” genomic alterations and protein expression/activation. Methods: Snap frozen biopsies from 29 MBC patients enrolled in a prospective phase II trial were used for this analysis. Exome WES and RNASeq data was processed using an in-house developed pipeline and identified amplification of CCND1 (6/29), FGFR1 (4/29), and FGF 3, 4, 5, and 19 (4/29) as some of most frequent “actionable” genomic alterations in our MBC cohort. Signaling analysis of the 29 cases was performed using Reverse Phase Protein Microarray coupled with Laser Capture Microdissection. Protein expression/phosphorylation was measured in a continuous scale and classified based on quartile distribution. Concordance between CCND1 amplification and Cyclin D1 expression, along with the activation of FOXM1 T600 and Rb S780, was explored. Amplification of the FGFR1 locus or its ligands was correlated with the level of activation/phosphorylation of FGFR1 Y653/654. Results: While Cyclin D1 protein expression was greater than the population mean for 4/6 (67%) patients with CCND1 amplification, only 2/6 (33%) patients with CCND1 amplification had Cyclin D1 level within the top quartile of the population (n=29). FOXM1 T600 activation was independent from CCND1 amplification, with high levels of FOXM1 T600 predominantly in the CCND1 wild-type population. Only 1/6 (17%) patients with CCND1 amplification had FOXM1 T600 level similar to the top quartile of the population while a second patient was above the population median. Activation of Rb S780 was above the population median, but below the top quartile, in 2/6 (33%) CCND1 amplified patients. Similarly, none of the patients with activation of FGFR Y653/654 equal to the top quartile harbored an FGFR1 amplification. Only 1/4 (25%) patients carrying an FGFR1 amplification had an activation of FGFR Y653/654 above the population median. Similarly, 1/4 (25%) patients with FGF ligand amplification showed FGFR Y653/654 level within the top quartile while three patients had FGFR Y653/654 activation below the population median. No significant results were found between proteomic (below/above the median) and genomic characteristics by Fisher test (p>0.05). Conclusion: Molecular genotyping of “actionable” cancer targets alone may be insufficient in predicting whether the actual drug target protein is expressed and/or activated in any given patient's tumor. Although these results need further validation, the combination of genomic and proteomic data may represent a more informative approach for identifying real molecular drivers of individual lesions as well as “actionable” protein/phosphoprotein targets in the absence of genomic events. Multi-OMIC approaches may lead to more effective stratification in precision medicine trials. Citation Format: Pierobon M, Wong S, Reeded A, Anthony S, Robert N, Northfelt DW, Jahanzeb M, Vocila L, Wulfkuhle J, Dunetz B, Aldrich J, Byron S, Craig D, Liotta L, Carpten J, Petricoin EF. A multi-OMIC analysis to explore the impact of “actionable” genomic alterations on protein pathway activation: Clinical implication for precision medicine in metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-07-09.
BRCA1 controls the cell division axis and governs ploidy and phenotype in human mammary cells
165 Background: The Hematology Hospital Outpatient service at Rochester Methodist Hospital provides ambulatory outpatient care to patients who would normally be hospitalized on our inpatient services due to cytopenias and need for infusion/transfusion support. A quality project was conducted to streamline our process and decrease wait times. Methods: This project was a part of a Mayo Lean Collaborative initiative to increase customer satisfaction and eliminate waste. The first step was to collect baseline measurements to capture the non-value added waiting time of our entire outpatient process. These benchmark times were collected from 65 patients over 4 days. We evaluated these wait times to identify gaps in care and factors contributing to delays in our process. Data collected "before and after" each implementation phase determined if the change was beneficial. Results: Through our data collection, one major area of opportunity we identified was the wait time for CBC results. At baseline, patients were waiting in a room for 61.9 minutes for lab results. A major contributor to delay was the lack of carriers to send blood samples through the tube system being stocked in the outpatient area. We also discovered that the time from when the sample was placed in the carrier to the time it arrived in our lab was significant. Through a process analysis it was identified that the CBC tubes were being sent to a central lab prior to their final destination in the Hematology lab. We were able to re-route our CBCs directly to the hem lab. Data collected after the intervention showed we were receiving results at 51 minutes, therefore, eliminating 10.9 minutes off of an appointment. We also identified additional opportunities such as pre-assigning rooms, scheduling, exam room organization, and communication that were able to be addressed. Conclusions: As a result of this lean collaborative project we reduced patient wait time by 20.1 minutes and increased patient satisfaction. We were able to order interventions sooner thereby increasing patient safety. By process analysis, we identified multiple areas in our process that could be shortened with no additional cost.
Impact of radiotherapy duration on outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer treated with definitive concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy on RTOG trials 8501 and 9405.
119 Background: Radiotherapy (RT) interruptions have a negative impact on outcomes in many epithelial malignancies treated with definitive RT. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of RT duration on outcomes in patients (pts) with esophageal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: Pts treated with definitive CRT on RTOG trials 8501 and 9405 were included. Separate analyses were performed in pts receiving standard dose (SD-CRT; 50 Gy + 5FU + cisplatin) and high dose (HD-CRT; 64.8 Gy + 5FU + cisplatin) CRT. Local (LF) and regional (RF) failure were estimated by the cumulative incidence method. Disease-free (DFS) and overall (OS) survival were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to examine for correlation between RT duration (< vs. ≥ median) with LF, RF, DFS and OS. Results: In the SD-CRT cohort (n=235), 96 pts (41%) had ≥ 1 RT interruption for a median of 3 (IQR 1-6) days. The median RT duration was 39 (IQR 37-43) days. In UVA and MVA, RT duration was not associated with LF, RF, DFS, or OS. Estimated outcome rates are in the table. In the HD-CRT cohort (n=107), 64 pts (60%) had ≥ 1 RT interruption for a median of 3.5 (IQR 2-7.5) days. The median RT duration was 52 (IQR 50-57) days. In UVA, RT duration ≥ 52 days was associated with a 33% reduction in risk of DFS failure (HR=0.66, 95% CI [0.44-0.98], p=0.039) and a 29% reduction in risk of death (HR=0.71, 95% CI [0.48-1.06], p=0.09). When excluding the 25 pts with RT dose < 64.8 Gy, RT duration was not associated with DFS or OS. Conclusions: In pts with esophageal cancer receiving definitive SD-CRT, an association between RT duration and outcomes was not observed. In pts receiving HD-CRT, longer RT duration was associated with improved DFS, which may have been due to a significant number of deaths at RT dose < 64.8 Gy. Supported by NCI U10 grants CA21661, CA180868, CA180822, CA37422. Clinical trial information: NCT00002631. [Table: see text]
Predicting survival after radical cystectomy: Validation of the SPARC score.
326 Background: The Survival Prediction After Radical Cystectomy (SPARC) score (Eisenberg et al, J Urol 2013) incorporates clinical and pathologic features to predict cancer specific survival (CSS) for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Validation of this model would improve its generalizability. Methods: Using the IRB-approved bladder cancer database at the University of Southern California (USC), we identified patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder for curative intent from 1971-2009. Clinical factors (Charlson comorbidity index, ECOG performance status, hydronephrosis, adjuvant chemotherapy, smoking status) and pathologic factors (pathologic T stage, nodal status, multifocality, and lymphovascular invasion) included in the SPARC score were obtained. Patients were excluded if there were missing variables or if they underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Associations between clinicopathologic factors and CSS were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards. Calibration plots were generated comparing actuarial CSS with SPARC predicted CSS by deciles. A c-index was generated to determine accuracy of the prediction. Kaplan Meier curves estimated CSS stratified by SPARC score and were compared with the log rank test. Results: A total of 2,045 patients underwent RC and 1,123 (55%) met inclusion criteria with a median follow-up of 4.7 years (IQR 2.0-8.9 years). Of the 1,123 patients, 332 (30%) died of bladder cancer. All the clinical and pathologic variables used in the SPARC scoring model were associated with CSS except for smoking status and tumor multifocality. Calibration plots demonstrated concordance between the SPARC-predicted and actuarial CSS with a c-index of 0.75. Kaplan Meier curves demonstrated significant differences in CSS based upon SPARC score, p<0.001. Conclusions: The SPARC score represents a valid instrument for predicting bladder CSS after RC. The model can be utilized to better tailor adjuvant therapy and surveillance.
Effect of AXIN2 expression on prostate cancer recurrence and an invasive, tumorigenic phenotype.
29 Background: Better biomarkers are needed in prostate cancer (PCa) to predict disease recurrence and guide optimal therapy. We investigated whether genes associated with a highly tumorigenic, drug resistant, progenitor cancer phenotype impact PCa biology and clinical outcomes in localized disease. Methods: Genes associated with self-renewal, drug resistance, and tumorigenicity were analyzed by qRT-PCR on PCa mRNA from radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens (+/- disease recurrence). Wilcoxon rank sum two-sample test, multivariable recursive partitioning, and bootstrap internal validation measured and confirmed associations with recurrence. Further validation was conducted in external cohorts and in-silico, as well as in vitro and in vivo using siRNA knockdown and lentiviral overexpression to determined the effect of gene expression on PCa proliferation, invasion and tumor growth. Results: Four candidate genes were differentially expressed in PCa recurrence, and of these, low AXIN2 expression was internally validated. Validation in external cohorts demonstrated low AXIN2 expression was associated with more aggressive prostate cancer and was independently associated with biochemical recurrence (BCR) and metastasis-free survival (MFS) after RP. In vitro, low AXIN2 expression was associated with a cancer stem-like cell-surface signature, and siRNA knockdown of AXIN2 resulted in significantly greater invasiveness. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of AXIN2 significantly reduced cell proliferation and tumor growth in mice. Conclusions: Low AXIN2 expression was associated with PCa recurrence after RP in our test population as well as in external validation cohorts. AXIN2 expression levels in PCa cells significantly impacted invasiveness, proliferation and tumor growth. AXIN2 represents a putative biomarker and potential therapeutic target in early prostate cancer.