Citations

Abstract BACKGROUND CNS germinoma is typically treated with combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with steroids used temporarily for symptom management. METHODS We report a case of CNS germinoma initially treated with steroid monotherapy with reduction in radiographic enhancement. RESULTS A 25 year old male initially presented with polydipsia and polyurea that improved with desmopressin, consistent with central diabetes insipidus. Brain imaging was unremarkable and he was lost to follow up. 3 years later, he developed progressively worsening bitemporal scotomas, intermittent binocular horizontal diplopia, reduced visual acuity, headaches, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction. MRI brain revealed enhancement of the pituitary stalk, optic chiasm and optic nerves, floor of the third ventricle, lateral ventricles, periventricular white matter, and anterior corpus callosum and fornix with associated T2 hyperintensity within the optic chiasm and adjacent brain parenchyma. Biopsy was consistent with germinoma. He was started on a dexamethasone taper beginning at 4 mg every 6 hours and plateauing at 4 mg twice daily. 3 weeks after steroid initiation, the areas of enhancement surrounding the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles showed reduction in size. DISCUSSION Reduced tumoral enhancement with steroid monotherapy is a well-known phenomenon in CNS lymphoma and has been reported in gliomas, attributed to direct induction of apoptosis in CNS lymphoma and alterations in the blood brain barrier via suppression of vascular permeability factors in both. This case adds to the scant literature regarding change in enhancement patterns with steroid monotherapy in CNS germinomas, which is likely related to a reduction in tumoral diffuse lymphocyte infiltration with steroid administration. The reduction in enhancement seen in multiple CNS mass-like pathologies emphasizes the importance of a tissue diagnosis for germinomas, as this steroid response is transient and not indicative of true tumor regression. Definitive treatment of germinomas is combination chemotherapy and radiation.

Abstract INTRODUCTION While TERT promoter mutation (TPM) has been established as a marker of clinically aggressive meningiomas, this alteration is rare and found in less than 5% of all cases. However, a larger subset of meningiomas may exhibit aberrant TERT expression in the absence of TPMs. This study investigated the effect of TERT gene expression on clinical outcome in meningioma patients. METHODS Clinical and molecular data were retrospectively collected on 1241 meningiomas, split into a Toronto discovery cohort and a multi-institutional validation cohort. Sanger sequencing and bulk RNA sequencing were used to determine TPM status and TERT gene expression. The effect of TERT expression on progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS While meningiomas with TPM showed expectedly higher TERT gene expression compared to wildtype (TP-WT) cases (p<0.0001), TERT expression was still detected in 28.7% (157/547) of TP-WT meningiomas. Meningiomas with TERT expression showed significantly worse PFS compared to meningiomas without any TERT expression. In fact, WHO grade 1 meningiomas with TERT expression had PFS outcomes resembling WHO grade 2 meningiomas lacking TERT expression (p=0.59). In turn, WHO grade 2 meningiomas with TERT expression had clinical outcomes similar to WHO grade 3 meningiomas without TERT expression (p=0.42). Furthermore, the proportion of meningiomas expressing TERT as well as overall TERT expression levels increased with increasing WHO grade. Multivariable analysis showed that TERT expression was significantly associated with worse PFS even when controlling for other known predictors of clinical outcome including TPM, CDKN2A/B loss, 1p/22q status and WHO grade (HR 1.85 [95% CI 1.33-2.57], p=0.00024). CONCLUSION TERT expression is a novel independent biomarker of outcome for meningiomas identifiable in up to one-third of cases that may be utilized to reclassify tumours to a higher WHO grade.

Abstract Purpose: CD4 T-cell immunity is associated with improved survival in patients with breast cancer. We previously reported a phase I trial evaluating a folate receptor alpha (FRα) vaccine administered with cyclophosphamide (CP), demonstrating excellent safety and immunogenicity. To simplify the vaccine strategy for ease of use, we report here the results of a randomized phase II trial evaluating a lower vaccine dose alongside the original dose, administered with or without CP pretreatment. Patients and Methods: Patients with triple-negative breast cancer who completed all systemic and local therapies were assigned to receive either low-dose (825 μg) or high-dose (2.5 mg) vaccine peptides plus GM-CSF in six 4-week cycles, with or without CP prior to vaccination. Safety was monitored, and immunogenicity was evaluated before and after vaccination. Results: A total of 80 patients were dosed with vaccine, and 58 patients were evaluable for immunogenicity. Vaccination was well tolerated and elicited immunity in 83% of patients. Levels of FRα-specific T cells were high, persistent, and comparable with T-cell levels against tetanus toxoid. No differences in immunity were observed between the two doses. CP pretreatment also did not affect the immune responses. Recurrences occurred in eight evaluable patients and were unrelated to the treatment arm. No patients died during the study because of their disease. Conclusions: The reduced-dose FRα vaccine is as effective as the original dose and does not require CP to generate maximal immunity. These findings may inform the design of trials testing efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer or other cancers.

Objective: An endoscopically placed duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL) may provide a safe adjunctive therapy for those with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Background: Although some endoscopic therapies have been shown to improve glycemic indices secondary to weight loss, small bowel interventions may have direct metabolic effects. A meta-analysis of observational studies demonstrated reduction in HbA1c by 1.3% at 1 year after DJBL in patients with T2DM and obesity. Methods: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial comparing DJBL to sham procedure with medical management and lifestyle modification. Primary endpoints included mean difference in changes in HbA1c at 12 months between arms, and device-related serious adverse events (SAEs). Secondary endpoints included percent total weight loss (%TWL) and subjects achieving HbA1c≤7% and TWL≥5% at 12 months. Results: Three hundred twenty subjects were randomized to DJBL (n=212) and sham (n=108). Baseline HbA1c and BMI were 8.79±0.92% and 38.45±5.75 kg/m 2 . On modified intent-to-treat analysis, change in HbA1c at 12 months was −1.10±1.45% and −0.28±1.54% for DJBL and sham groups, respectively ( P =0.0004). Rate of device-related SAEs was 9.4% including intolerance (3.7%), hemorrhage (2.8%), and hepatic abscess (2.3% stopping study early). At 12 months, DJBL group experienced greater weight loss compared with sham (7.7±9.6% TWL and 2.1±5.4% TWL, respectively; P <0.0001), with significantly more patients achieving HbA1c ≤ 7% (28.3% vs. 9.4%; P <0.0003) and TWL ≥ 5% (60.4% vs. 21.3%; P <0.0001). Conclusions: DJBL met primary glycemic control efficacy and primary safety endpoints, while providing clinically significant weight loss, and comorbidity improvement.

Background. Assessment tools in surgical education help identify improvement areas for trainees. We developed and present validity evidence for a novel Transplant Operative Assessment Tool to optimize technical feedback for surgical trainees in transplantation. Methods. The Transplant Operative Assessment Tool assesses learners on anatomy, technical skills, judgment, and communication. Performance is rated across 5 competency levels. Content validity evidence included a construct map using existing literature and expert cognitive interviews. Ratings were used to develop an item response theory calibration, which was then used to evaluate the tool and provide validity evidence. Results. Eighty-two assessments for 28 trainees (16 residents, 12 fellows) were completed by 25 faculty surgeons across 4 programs. Fifty-six kidney transplants, 13 liver transplants, and 13 donor nephrectomies were assessed. The mean assessment completion time was 4.1 ± 4.3 min. Internal structure validity was evaluated by calculating item infit (range, 0.86–1.15), indicating a strong model fit and confirming a high quality of items. Internal consistency was also high (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.94). There was a positive correlation between ratings and training level ( P < 0.01), indicating strong discriminatory power. Warm ischemia time for transplant operations did not correlate with performance ( P = 0.16). Conclusions. These data provide validity evidence for a novel operative assessment tool. This instrument can measure performance, monitor progress, document competency, and has the potential to provide valuable feedback.

Abstract Objective Microscopic surgery assessment tools vary in objectivity and requirements for determining surgical proficiency. Artificial intelligence methods for objective microsurgical analysis have become more common, but their applications to mastoidectomy have not been reconciled with earlier efforts. This scoping review aimed to (1) compile and compare objective features and assessment targets of microscopic surgery analysis tools and (2) inform the development of a standardized annotation framework for mastoidectomy. Data Sources Ovid MEDLINE®, Embase (Ovid), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Ovid), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Ovid), and Scopus. Review Methods A scoping review of English‐language, full‐text articles describing any objective analysis tool for microscopic surgery performed by participants of any level. Extracted data included procedure type, evaluation modality, and classification into five domains: checklist/rating‐based, instrument motion analysis, error identification, workflow modeling, and artificial intelligence‐assisted feedback. Results Of 2203 screened studies, 52 met the inclusion criteria across otolaryngology, ophthalmology, and neurological surgery. Manual assessments (n = 42, 80.8%) primarily used checklists, rating scales, or end‐product evaluations. Automated assessments (n = 10, 19.2%) incorporated motion tracking and artificial intelligence‐assisted feedback. Otolaryngology contributed 28 tools, 22 of which evaluated mastoidectomy, cochlear implantation, or temporal bone dissection. Virtual reality was the most commonly reported training platform (n = 13). Conclusion Although instrument tracking and artificial intelligence‐assisted feedback have been explored, evaluation of microscopic surgery remains largely manual and subjective, with limited adoption of automated assessment tools. The lack of a standardized framework for automated mastoidectomy assessment represents a potential area for future development.

Abstract The sections in this article are: Wave‐Speed Flow‐Limiting Mechanism Viscous Flow Limitation Relation Between Wave‐Speed and Viscous Flow‐Limiting Mechanisms Comments on Modeling

Abstract Disclosure: L. Miller-Wilson: Employee of Immunovant, Inc. N. Princic: Employee of Merative. K. Evans: Employee of Merative. N. Atreja: Employee of Immunovant, Inc. K. Tollefsen: Employee of Immunovant, Inc.. D. Toro-Tobón: None. Objectives: Graves’ disease (GD) is an autoimmune condition responsible for most cases of hyperthyroidism in the United States. An estimated 20%-50% of patients with GD will also develop thyroid eye disease (TED). Current treatments for GD focus on managing hyperthyroidism, but frequent monitoring, dose adjustments, and the high rate of relapse after discontinuation of antithyroid drugs can increase treatment costs and complicate long-term management. This study describes healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs among patients with GD, with and without TED. Methods: This retrospective analysis utilized claims data from the Merative™ MarketScan® Research Databases. Individuals aged ≥18 years with ≥2 claims for a GD diagnosis from January 1, 2017-December 31, 2023 were included (first claim = index). To ensure a newly diagnosed cohort, patients with a history of GD-specific treatment or a GD diagnosis in the 12 months preceding the index were excluded. The final GD cohort was stratified into patients who had evidence of TED at any time during the 12-month pre-index period through 90 days post-index, and those who did not. Propensity score matching was used to balance patients with GD (with and without TED) with non-GD controls (1:3) on demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. Both GD cases (with and without TED) and controls were required to have ≥12 months of post-index follow-up. HCRU and costs were compared between cases and controls during a fixed 12-month post-index period. Categorical outcomes were compared using chi-squared tests, while continuous endpoints were compared using paired t-tests. Results: The analysis included 1,767 GD cases with TED matched with 5,301 controls (mean age, 53.1 years [standardized mean difference (SMD), 0.00]; 77% female [SMD, 0.00]; mean Charlson comorbidity score, 0.9 [SMD, 0.02]) and 43,120 GD cases without TED matched with 129,360 controls (mean age, 49.8 years [SMD, 0.00]; 78% female [SMD, 0.00]; mean Charlson comorbidity score, 0.7 [SMD, 0.01]). Compared with matched controls, patients with GD and TED had 78% more inpatient visits (0.16 vs 0.09), 104% more outpatient visits (65.06 vs 31.86), and 43% more prescriptions (30.21 vs 21.13) during the 12-month post-index period, while patients with GD without TED had 75% more inpatient visits (0.14 vs 0.08), 83% more outpatient visits (52.15 vs 28.48), and 38% more prescriptions (24.27 vs 17.56) (p&lt;0.001 for all). Annual mean healthcare costs were 305% higher ($56,584 vs. $13,981) among GD patients with TED and 65% higher ($19,913 vs $12,076) in those without TED compared with matched controls. Conclusion: Patients with GD had significantly higher HCRU and healthcare costs than matched controls in the 12 months following diagnosis, and this difference was notably greater among GD patients who also had TED. More effective treatments are needed to address the health and financial burden of GD. Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025

Background Challenges in predicting which neoantigens mediate tumor rejection limit the efficacy of neoantigen vaccines to treat cancers, especially for cancers with a high mutational burden like cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Only a small portion of neoantigens prioritized by current methods elicit effective T cell responses, demonstrating the critical need for improved criteria for the prediction of tumor-rejecting neoantigens. Methods Publicly available human cSCC datasets were used to assess the frequency of shared mutations between patients. A transplantable ultraviolet light-induced mouse model of cSCC was generated. The mutational signature and driver mutations in the mouse model were compared with human tumors. Neoantigens were prioritized in the mouse model, and tumor-rejecting neoantigens were identified through (enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) and in vivo prophylactic vaccination. Binding of the neoantigens and corresponding wild-type peptides to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I was determined. Structural modeling of peptide:MHC complexes was performed to assess for changes in structural characteristics of the neoantigens relative to the wild-type peptides. Results A minority of human cSCC tumors shared neoantigens. The mouse cSCC model recapitulated the mutational signature and driver mutations found in human disease and was constrained by CD8 T cells. Two MHC class I neoantigens were identified in the mouse model that constrained cSCC growth. One tumor-rejecting neoantigen exhibited improved MHC binding, and the other had increased solvent accessibility of the mutated residue, compared with wild-type. Across known neoantigens that do not impact MHC binding, increased exposure of the mutated residue distinguished tumor-rejecting from non-immunogenic neoantigens. Conclusions Given the paucity of shared mutations, this work supports the need for personalized neoantigen vaccines in cSCC. To facilitate further discovery, we provide a clinically relevant mouse cSCC model with two defined neoantigens that mediate tumor rejection. Structural changes in the exposure of features that promote T cell receptor recognition defined tumor-rejecting neoantigens. Incorporation of structural modeling to predict changes in T cell receptor accessibility is anticipated to improve the selection of neoantigens for inclusion in personalized cancer vaccines.

Key Points Serum glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) levels were significantly associated with higher fibroblast growth factor 23 levels in ESKD. Pathway and mediation analyses identified the pentose phosphate pathway as the top mediator of the relationship between serum G3P and fibroblast growth factor 23. The role of G3P in ESKD provides new insights into potential therapeutic targets for CKD-mineral and bone disorder. Background Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a key regulator of mineral metabolism that is independently associated with mortality in patients with ESKD. Glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a byproduct of glycolysis that can be derived from injured kidneys, stimulates FGF23 production. We aimed to determine if serum G3P is associated with FGF23 levels in patients with ESKD and identify potential molecular pathways that mediate their relationship. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 99 nondiabetic patients with ESKD on hemodialysis. We used linear regression to examine the association between G3P terciles and log-transformed C-terminal FGF23 levels, adjusting for demographics, coronary artery disease, serum calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone. Mann–Whitney U tests compared 247 serum metabolite levels between the first and third FGF23 terciles; significant metabolites ( P < 0.01) were selected for pathway enrichment analyses. Top pathway scores were used in mediation analyses. Results The median age of participants was 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 44–63), 38% were women, 71% self-identified as Black, and 27% had coronary artery disease. The median FGF23 level was 777 (interquartile range, 222–1310) RU/ml. In adjusted analyses, compared with participants with the lowest G3P tercile, those with the highest G3P tercile had a 95% higher FGF23 level (95% Confidence Interval, 6% to 260%; P = 0.04). Of the 27 metabolites significantly associated with FGF23 levels, pathway enrichment analysis identified the pentose phosphate pathway as the top hit (impact score=0.33, false discovery rate-adjusted P value = 0.01). The pentose phosphate pathway mediated the relationship between G3P and FGF23, resulting in a 62% change in the β coefficient. Conclusions In nondiabetic patients with ESKD on hemodialysis, serum G3P positively correlated with serum C-terminal FGF23, and this relationship was mediated by the pentose phosphate pathway. Exploring the pentose phosphate pathway could yield critical mechanistic insights into the regulation of FGF23, enhancing our understanding of its broader biologic functions.