Citations

Abstract Background Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is a common acute and persistent symptom following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Symptoms of cutaneous allodynia and presence of nociceptive sensitization might be associated with acute PTH and its persistence. The objectives of this study were to compare allodynia symptoms and cutaneous heat pain thresholds amongst males and females with acute PTH to healthy controls (HC) and determine if pain thresholds and allodynia symptoms are associated with PTH outcomes. Methods This prospective longitudinal study enrolled 139 adults with acute PTH attributed to mTBI as defined by the International Classification of Headache Disorders and 95 HC. All PTH participants completed a baseline research visit near PTH onset and a follow-up visit three to four months later. All PTH participants and a subset of HC completed the Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12) at each research visit. A different subset of the participants underwent quantitative sensory testing (QST) during baseline, 4-week, and 16-week research visits to quantify cutaneous heat pain thresholds at the forehead and forearms. Data from daily headache diaries were used to determine longitudinal PTH improvement versus non-improvement at three months. ASC-12 score and pain threshold comparisons were made between PTH and HC groups, PTH improved versus non-improved cohorts, and between PTH males and females. Results Participants with PTH had an average age of 42.6 years and 64.0% were female. HC had an average age of 40.0 years and 65.3% were female. At the first visit, PTH participant ASC-12 scores averaged 3.6 versus 0.1 amongst HC, p < 0.001. 44.8% of PTH participants had headache improvement at 3 months. ASC-12 scores were higher in the PTH non-improved versus improved group at baseline (4.0 versus 2.4, p = 0.038) and 3-month follow-up (3.4 versus 1.9, p = 0.012). ASC-12 scores were higher in females than males at baseline (4.7 versus 1.6, p < 0.001) and 3-months (3.9 versus 1.2, p < 0.001). Cutaneous heat pain thresholds at the forehead and forearm did not differ between any group. Conclusions PTH attributed to mTBI is associated with symptoms of cutaneous allodynia. Greater allodynia symptoms are present in females with PTH compared to males and may be associated with PTH non-improvement.

Abstract Active learning strategies enhance medical education by fostering self‐directed learning, communication, and problem‐solving skills. The paper puzzle, a game‐based learning approach, provides an engaging way to reinforce anatomical knowledge and promote collaboration. This study assessed its impact on student performance and perceptions in clinical anatomy, comparing it to PowerPoint‐based imaging reviews and evaluating the role of Near Peer Teachers (NPTs). A prospective, longitudinal, quasi‐experimental study with a mixed‐methods approach was conducted on first‐year medical students enrolled in the Human Anatomy course. Surveys using a Likert scale assessed student and NPT perceptions, while focus groups and interviews provided qualitative insights. Thematic analysis identified key themes related to engagement, knowledge reinforcement, and effectiveness. A total of 907 medical students and 30 NPTs completed a survey, while 75 students and 10 NPTs participated in the qualitative phase. Students perceived the paper puzzle as an engaging and interactive review tool that reduced stress, increased involvement, and enhanced knowledge retrieval through collaboration and a structured gameplay loop. They also valued the emotional impact on learning. NPTs reported benefits for student motivation and teamwork but noted that time constraints limited content coverage. The activity's effectiveness was highly dependent on the NPT's facilitation, emphasizing the need for structured implementation. Findings suggested that game‐based learning strategies like the paper puzzle can improve motivation, teamwork, and content retrieving in anatomy education when carefully designed and effectively executed by NPTs.

Abstract Background and Aims Truncating variants in the TTN gene (TTNtv) are the most common genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) but also occur as incidental findings in the general population. This study investigated factors associated with the clinical manifestation of TTNtv. Methods An international multicentre retrospective observational study was performed in families with TTNtv-related DCM. Shared frailty models were used to estimate associations of variant characteristics with lifetime risk of DCM, and logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for individual-level clinical risk factor profiles (cardiac conditions, cardiovascular comorbidities, lifestyle) and DCM. Results A total of 3158 subjects in 1043 families with TTNtv-related DCM were studied. TTNtv-positive subjects were 21-fold more likely to develop DCM [OR, 21.21; 95% confidence interval (CI), 14.80–30.39]. Disease onset was earlier in males, but was similar for TTNtv of different types and locations. The presence of clinical risk factors was associated with earlier DCM onset (OR, 3.41; 95% CI, 2.06–5.64), with a prior history of atrial fibrillation having a two-fold increased odds of DCM (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.27–3.32). The prevalence of clinical risk factors increased with age; however, the strength of the DCM association was greatest for young-onset (&lt;30 years) disease (OR, 4.75; 95% CI, 2.35–9.60). Administration of beta-adrenergic receptor or renin-angiotensin system-blocking drugs prior to overt DCM was associated with 87% reduced odds of DCM (OR, .13; 95% CI, .08–.23). Conclusions Disease onset in TTNtv-associated familial DCM is dependent on individual patient context and is potentially modifiable by risk factor management and prophylactic therapeutic intervention.

Abstract Epcoritamab and glofitamab are CD20-directed bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) approved in the United States for relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Limited data exist for patients treated outside of trials. Patients with R/R DLBCL receiving commercial epcoritamab or glofitamab between 1 January 2023 and 15 October 2024 were collected from 21 United States institutions. Among 245 patients, 156 received epcoritamab and 89 received glofitamab, 113 were refractory to front-line therapy, 40 had MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements, 147 received prior chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and 174 patients would have been ineligible for registrational trials. The overall response rate (ORR) for epcoritamab and glofitamab was 51% (23% complete response, [CR]) and 53% (30% CR), respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0-3.8 months), and median overall survival (OS) was 7.8 months (95% CI, 6.2-11.0 months). The 6-month PFS was 36% (95% CI, 30-44) and the 6-month OS was 60% (95% CI, 54-67). Both trial ineligibility and undetectable CD20 pre-BsAbs portended shorter PFS and OS. Of 17 individuals with paired biopsies, 15 (88.2%) lost CD20 expression after BsAbs with a median time to progression of 3.7 months. This analysis including patients with R/R DLBCL shows the ORR to CD3/CD20 BsAbs was comparable to pivotal trials, although PFS and OS were lower. Baseline undetectable levels of CD20 were associated with poor outcomes. These results demonstrate the activity of BsAbs in R/R DLBCL, and underscore the importance of target antigen expression.

Background: Young women with breast cancer (YWBC) typically undergo intensive treatment that negatively impacts their quality of life (QoL). However, limited information is available on how their QoL changes, as most research has focused on older patients. Objectives: To assess changes in QoL among YWBC, identify the most affected QoL domains, and identify the factors associated with these changes. Design: Joven & Fuerte is a multicenter cohort of women aged ⩽40 in Mexico with newly diagnosed BC from 2014 to 2020. Methods: Participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast Cancer module QLQ-BR23 questionnaire at five different time points from enrollment until year 5 postdiagnosis. Clinical and treatment data were also collected. Group-based multivariate trajectory modeling was used to analyze longitudinal changes across QoL domains and classify patients into appropriate groups. Logistic models were then employed to identify associations between variables and group classification. Results: A total of 477 women (median age: 36 years; interquartile range 32–38) were included. Most had public health insurance (87%) and were diagnosed with stage II (49%) or III (39%) BC. Two trajectory groups, namely, “good” and “poor,” were identified based on QLQ-BR23 scores. Most patients ( n = 294, 62%) were in the poor group. In the good group, sexual enjoyment scores remained stable from baseline to year 5 (51.4), whereas those in the poor group decreased (51.0–37.3). Distress related to hair loss over time declined, with scores decreasing from 36.3 to 27.0 in the good trajectory group and from 43.4 to 31.2 in the poor trajectory group. For future perspective, the good group improved from 56.4 to 79.0, while the poor group increased from 39.3 to 57.2. Patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive BC (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35–0.94, p = 0.028) and those with public health insurance (aOR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.16–0.90, p = 0.035) were less likely to belong to the poor trajectory group. Conclusion: A high proportion of YWBC experience a poor QoL trajectory over time, particularly in areas related to sexual health, future perspective, and hair loss.

First-trimester US is imperative in evaluation of early pregnancy, since understanding of first-trimester anatomy and genetic testing allows early detection of structural and chromosomal abnormalities.

Abstract Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell-derived malignancy associated with immune dysregulation. Anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) therapies have shown improved outcomes in patients with MM. Silbermann et al. showed that anti-CD38 mAb-containing therapies lead to profound hypogammaglobulinemia and reduction in Ig gene repertoire. The effect of modern therapies such as CAR-T and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) on B-cell repertoire has not been well described. In this study, we sought to investigate the effect of these therapies on B-cell repertoire in patients with MM. Methods: This is a single-institution retrospective observational study evaluating MM patients treated with anti-BCMA CAR-T and BsAbs. Baseline characteristics, laboratory data, treatment history, were extracted from medical records. Total unique sequences (TUS) and total sequences of IgH, IgK, and IgL were identified and quantified using clonoSEQ. Patients were classified in two groups: CAR-T and BsAbs. The primary objectives were (1) characterize changes in TUS and total sequences within IgH, IgK, and IgL before and after treatment, and (2) examine how the sequences evolve over time following CAR-T. Results: 76 MM patients received CAR-T or BsAbs. Among those, 22 CAR-T and 5 BsAbs patients had pre- and post-treatment sequences available. Median age at initiation of treatment was 66 years in the CAR-T group (42-81 y) and 65 years in the BsAbs group (48-71 y). Based on mSMART v3 criteria, 72% of CAR-T and 60% of BsAbs recipients were classified as high-risk. Median number of prior lines of therapy was 5 (2-8) in the CAR-T group and 6 (5-13) in the BsAbs group.CAR-T recipients were classified into early (&lt;40 days) and late (&gt;40 days), based on when the post-CAR-T treatment clonoSEQ assay was performed. Changes in TUS and total sequences of IgH, IgK, and IgL were calculated, and the averages were assessed independently. The mean early and late change in total unique IgH sequences were (-75, 586 and 131, 038, p=0.052), unique IgK (-57, 797 and 52, 586, p=0.020), and unique IgL (-22, 354 and 25, 056, p=0.011). A subgroup of 8 patients with sequential MRD reports post-CAR-T therapy were identified, six patients showed improvement in B-cell sequence dynamics and two patients showed a decrease over time. For patients who received BsAbs, results indicated a similar pattern, with an early decrease in B-cell repertoires, characterized by reductions in sequence diversity and quantity. Conclusions: Our analysis of B-cell repertoires following CAR-T revealed changes before and after treatment. Patients receiving CAR-T therapy showed a decline in the number of TUS and total sequences of IgH, IgK, and IgL, likely due to the lymphodepletion regimen, followed by a gradual restoration reflecting immune recovery. Longer follow-up and a larger cohort will be necessary to assess the implications of these B-cell repertoire changes on patient outcomes. Citation Format: Feba Miriam Jacob, Rodolfo Garza-Morales, Joseph G Hentz, Alex Wonnaparhown, Julia E. Wiedmeier-Nutor, Mariano Arribas, Gabriela Alatorre, Sharene Best, Jayden Poulignot, Udit Yadav, Saurabh Chhabra, P. Leif Bergsagel, Rafael Fonseca, Talal Hilal. Dynamics of B-cell repertoires following CAR-T and bispecific antibody therapy in multiple myeloma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 4537.

PURPOSE To investigate the clinical behavior of breast cancer in young BRCA carriers according to the specific BRCA gene ( BRCA1 v BRCA2 ) and the association of the timing of genetic testing (before v at diagnosis) with prognosis. METHODS This was an international, multicenter, hospital-based, retrospective cohort study that included 4,752 patients harboring germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1 or BRCA2 , who were diagnosed with stage I-III invasive breast cancer at 40 years or younger between January 2000 and December 2020 in 78 centers worldwide (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03673306 ). RESULTS Compared with BRCA2 carriers (n = 1,683), BRCA1 carriers (n = 3,069) had more frequently hormone receptor–negative (74.4% v 15.5%) and high-grade (77.5% v 49.1%) tumors. Similar outcomes were observed in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers but with a different pattern and risk of disease-free survival events over time. Compared with patients tested for BRCA at diagnosis (ie, between 2 months before and up to 6 months after diagnosis; n = 1,671), those tested before diagnosis (ie, any time up to 2 months before diagnosis; n = 411) had smaller tumors (T1: 61.3% v 32.4%), less nodal involvement (N0: 65.9% v 50.8%), less frequently received chemotherapy (84.4% v 92.9%), and axillary dissection (37.5% v 47.4%). Patients tested before diagnosis had better overall survival (OS; unadjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.61 [95% CI, 0.40 to 0.92]); however, this result lost statistical significance after adjustment for potential confounders including tumor stage (adjusted HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.47 to 1.15]). CONCLUSION This global study provides evidence on the different clinical behavior of breast cancer in young BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers. Identifying a BRCA PV in healthy individuals was associated with earlier-stage breast cancer diagnosis and lower treatment burden, as well as better unadjusted OS.