Citations

AimsCellular schwannoma is a specific subtype of schwannoma, prone to misinterpretation as a malignant neoplasm. Involvement of the intracranial compartment by these tumours is extremely rare. We aim to characterise this clinicopathological subgroup.Methods and resultsWe identified a total of 20 cellular schwannomas with predominant intracranial involvement. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 37 years (range = 16–81), with a slight female predominance (1.5:1 ratio). The most common sites were the eighth (n = 8) and fifth (n = 6) cranial nerves. Three tumours involved the anterior cranial fossa/olfactory groove, and a single case involved the glossopharyngeal nerve. All tumours met established criteria for cellular schwannoma, and were composed of interlacing fascicles of spindle cells lacking Verocay bodies with minimal Antoni B pattern and variable chronic inflammation and foamy histiocytes. Rare findings included haemosiderin deposition (n = 6), necrosis (n = 4), brisk mitotic activity (>10 mitoses per 10 high‐power fields) (n = 2), focal epithelioid morphology (n = 2), myxoid areas (n = 2), neuroblastoma‐like pattern (n = 1) and granular cells (n = 1). Immunohistochemical stains demonstrated expression of Schwann cell markers (S100 protein, SOX10, collagen IV) and preserved H3 K27 trimethylation in all cases tested. Fourteen patients had postoperative follow‐up, ranging from 2 months to 21 years (mean = 66 months). In patients with follow‐up, local recurrence/persistence developed in six cases; five tumours were initially incompletely resected. No metastatic disease or deaths were reported.ConclusionsIntracranial cellular schwannomas share morphological and immunophenotypical features with cellular schwannomas at others sites may demonstrate locally aggressive growth but appear to lack metastatic potential.

Purpose The Next Accreditation System requires training programs to demonstrate competence among trainees. Within gastroenterology (GI), there are limited data describing learning curves and structured assessment of competence in esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy. In this study, the authors aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of a centralized feedback system to assess endoscopy learning curves among GI trainees in EGD and colonoscopy. Method During academic year 2016–2017, the authors performed a prospective multicenter cohort study, inviting participants from multiple GI training programs. Trainee technical and cognitive skills were assessed using a validated competence assessment tool. An integrated, comprehensive data collection and reporting system was created to apply cumulative sum analysis to generate learning curves that were shared with program directors and trainees on a quarterly basis. Results Out of 183 fellowships invited, 129 trainees from 12 GI fellowships participated, with an overall trainee participation rate of 72.1% (93/129); the highest participation level was among first-year trainees (90.9%; 80/88), and the lowest was among third-year trainees (51.2%; 27/53). In all, 1,385 EGDs and 1,293 colonoscopies were assessed. On aggregate learning curve analysis, third-year trainees achieved competence in overall technical and cognitive skills, while first- and second-year trainees demonstrated the need for ongoing supervision and training in the majority of technical and cognitive skills. Conclusions This study demonstrated the feasibility of using a centralized feedback system for the evaluation and documentation of trainee performance in EGD and colonoscopy. Furthermore, third-year trainees achieved competence in both endoscopic procedures, validating the effectiveness of current training programs.

Abstract Objectives Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) can be symptomatic and asymptomatic infection. In this study we aimed at investigating the prevalence of asymptomatic infections and to study risk factors of VL in non-endemic regions in Gedaref state, Sudan. A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted during 2014. Blood samples were collected to serological and molecular analysis. Sticky traps, knockdown spray and CDC miniature light traps were used for the collection of sandflies. Results Ninety-Five participants were included; 52 from Abukishma, 15 Algadamblia Tirfa, 25 Abualnaja and 3 were from Algadamblia Aljabal. Most of the study participants were belonging to the Belala tribe (74.3%). The most frequent reported age was above 40-years old (9.5%). Females were (61.1%) and males were (38.9%). B. aeygptica was the most planted tree in/around the houses (46.3%). 73 (76.8%) of the participants bred more than two types of animals in the house. DAT test revealed 5 positive participants (5.2%). 4/5 DAT positive were past VL infection. PCR detected 35 (36.8%) positive patients. A total of 31 (32.6%) were considered asymptomatic infections based on PCR detection method. Households planted Balanites/Acacia trees or breed domestic animals were found in high percentages with VL PCR positive participants (60.1%, 91.4%).

Abstract Objectives: Prostate cancer (PC) is common cancer worldwide. Several markers have been developed to differentiate between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) from PC. A descriptive retrospective hospital-based study aimed at determining the expression of Cyclin D1 in BPH and PC. the study took place at different histopathology laboratories in Khartoum state, Sudan, from December 2016 to January 2019. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were sectioned and fixed in 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane coated slides incubated into primary antibody for Cyclin D1. The assessment of immunoreactivity of Cyclin D1 of each section was done using the Gleason scoring system. Results: A total of 153 males’ prostate sections included in this study, of them, 120 (78.4%) were PC, and 33 (21.6%) were BPH. Their age ranged from 45 to 88 years, mean age was 66.19 ± 8.599. 142 (92.8%) did not have a family history of PC, while 11 (7.2%) patients reported having a family history. The Gleason scoring showed a total of 81 (52.9%) patients with high-grade and 39 (25.5%) with low-grade. 118 (97.5%) patients had PC showed positive results for Cyclin D1, while BPH was 3 (2.5%). P value < 0.001. Cyclin D1 staining was associated with high-grade Gleason score and perineural invasion, P value 0.001.

Abstract Purpose: To develop a prognostic model and cytogenetic risk classification for previously treated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) undergoing reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Experimental Design: We performed a retrospective analysis of outcomes of 606 patients with CLL who underwent RIC allogeneic HCT between 2008 and 2014 reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. Results: On the basis of multivariable models, disease status, comorbidity index, lymphocyte count, and white blood cell count at HCT were selected for the development of prognostic model. Using the prognostic score, we stratified patients into low-, intermediate-, high-, and very-high-risk [4-year progression-free survival (PFS) 58%, 42%, 33%, and 25%, respectively, P &lt; 0.0001; 4-year overall survival (OS) 70%, 57%, 54%, and 38%, respectively, P &lt; 0.0001]. We also evaluated karyotypic abnormalities together with del(17p) and found that del(17p) or ≥5 abnormalities showed inferior PFS. Using a multivariable model, we classified cytogenetic risk into low, intermediate, and high (P &lt; 0.0001). When the prognostic score and cytogenetic risk were combined, patients with low prognostic score and low cytogenetic risk had prolonged PFS (61% at 4 years) and OS (75% at 4 years). Conclusions: In this large cohort of patients with previously treated CLL who underwent RIC HCT, we developed a robust prognostic scoring system of HCT outcomes and a novel cytogenetic-based risk stratification system. These prognostic models can be used for counseling patients, comparing data across studies, and providing a benchmark for future interventions. For future study, we will further validate these models for patients receiving targeted therapies prior to HCT.

Introduction Diarrhoea is a frequent concern in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, increased length of ICU stay, skin breakdown and renal dysfunction. However, its prevalence, aetiology and prognosis in the critically ill have been poorly studied. The primary objectives of this study are to determine the incidence, risk factors and consequences of diarrhoea in critically ill adults. The secondary objectives are to estimate the incidence of Clostridium difficile- associated diarrhoea (CDAD) in ICU patients and to validate the Bristol Stool Chart and Bliss Stool Classification System characterising bowel movements in the ICU. Our primary outcome is the incidence of diarrhoea . Our secondary outcomes include: CDAD, ICU and hospital mortality and ICU and hospital length of stay. Methods and analysis This international prospective cohort study will enrol patients over 10 weeks in 12 ICUs in Canada, the USA, Poland and Saudi Arabia. We will include all patients 18 years of age and older who are admitted to the ICU for at least 24 hours and follow them daily until ICU discharge. Our primary outcome is the incidence of diarrhoea based on the WHO definition, during the ICU stay. Our secondary outcomes include: CDAD, ICU and hospital mortality and ICU and hospital length of stay. We will use logistic regression to identify factors associated with diarrhoea (as defined using WHO criteria) and the kappa statistic to measure agreement on diarrhoea rates between the WHO definition and the Bristol Stool Chart and Bliss Stool Classification System. Ethics and dissemination The protocol has been approved by the research ethics board of all participating centres. The diarrhoea interventions, consequences and epidemiology in the intensive care unit (DICE-ICU) study will generate evidence about diarrhoea and its frequency, predisposing factors and consequences, to inform critical care practice and future research. Lay summary Diarrhoea is a frequent clinical problem for hospitalised patients including those who are critically ill in the ICU. Diarrhoea can cause complications such as skin damage, dehydration and kidney problems. It is not clear how common diarrhoea is in the ICU, the factors that cause it or the best way for clinicians to assess it. The DICE-ICU study is an international prospective observational study to examine the frequency, risk factors and outcomes of diarrhoea during critical illness.

Background:We have previously reported that ∼50% of CLL patients (pts) experience rapid flare of disease when they discontinue ibrutinib therapy due to progression of disease (CLL or Richter's transformation [RT]) (Hampel et al, JCO suppl, 2018). This lead to the clinical practice of overlapping venetoclax with ibrutinib for combination therapy in this setting to prevent ibrutinib withdrawal.Aims:To evaluate the role of continuing ibrutinib beyond the start of salvage venetoclax in pts who have progression of disease on ibrutinib monotherapy, both in preventing ibrutinib withdrawal associated with ibrutinib discontinuation and in disease response.Methods:We identified all CLL pts at Mayo Clinic (3/2017–11/2018) who had disease progression on ibrutinib therapy, where venetoclax was added as subsequent treatment while ibrutinib was continued. CLL‐specific characteristics, treatment timeline and toxicities, and disease course following combination therapy were ascertained. All pts started venetoclax according to the weekly ramp‐up per the package instructions.Results:Eighteen pts treated with the addition of venetoclax to ibrutinib therapy were identified; indications were CLL progression (n = 13) and RT (n = 5). BTK or PLCG2 mutations were present in 8/13 pts. Median duration of follow‐up was 9.6 months after the start of combination therapy.The target venetoclax dose was reached by 5 weeks in 13 pts; reasons for delaying or stopping dose escalation included diarrhea (n = 2), sepsis (n = 2), and neutropenia (n = 1). No patient experienced a disease flare during venetoclax ramp‐up.The median duration of combination ibrutinib and venetoclax therapy was 3 months (range, 0–14 months). Of 18 pts who started combination therapy with ibrutinib and venetoclax, ibrutinib was discontinued in 10 pts. Reasons included hematopoietic stem cell transplant (n = 2), planned stop after adequate disease control (n = 4), financial reasons (n = 1), toxicity (neutropenia n = 1, immune thrombocytopenia/bleeding risk n = 1), and death (n = 1). Only 1 patient experienced ibrutinib withdrawal, which occurred following planned discontinuation after clinical complete response (CR) with a 41 day overlap and toleration of venetoclax 400 mg daily; management with re‐initiation of ibrutinib was effective in regaining disease control. Of 9 pts who stopped ibrutinib, 4 pts had a slow taper over 2–8 weeks, and 2 pts also received corticosteroids at the time of ibrutinib discontinuation.Among the other 8 pts who did not discontinue ibrutinib, 6 pts remain on the combination with venetoclax (median duration 6.5 months, range 3–14 months), and 2 pts continued on ibrutinib following venetoclax discontinuation due to disease progression (both pts received further combination of ibrutinib with multi‐agent chemotherapy).The overall response rate (ORR) to combination therapy with ibrutinib and venetoclax was 81% (CR/clinical CR n = 9, partial response n = 4, stable disease n = 1, and primary refractory disease n = 2). The duration of combination therapy was <4 weeks in 2 pts, precluding response assessment. The estimated 12‐month event‐free survival was 54% (95% CI 33–87%), and the estimated 12‐month overall survival from start of combination therapy was 79% (95% CI 60–100%); see Figure 1.Summary/Conclusion:Among CLL pts who develop progression of disease on ibrutinib monotherapy, continued ibrutinib therapy with addition of venetoclax was feasible, ameliorated ibrutinib withdrawal, and was associated with high ORR.image

Background:MAIA, an ongoing phase 3 trial of transplant‐ineligible patients with NDMM, demonstrated significant improvement in progression‐free survival with D‐Rd vs Rd alone. Assessment of patient‐reported outcomes (PRO) alongside efficacy endpoints provides patient perspective on their quality of survival and overall value of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) while on treatments.Aims:To utilize PRO assessments as a tool in capturing the patient perspective on quality of survival and HRQoL changes in MAIA.Methods:The EORTC QLQ‐C30 and EQ‐5D‐5L questionnaires were completed by patients using an electronic device at baseline and every 3 months during treatment; interim results are presented for first 12 months. Treatment effects were assessed using repeated measures, mixed effects models and thresholds for clinically meaningful benefit were based on established criterion from the literature.Results:Compliance rates in completing the assessment tools were high and comparable at baseline (>90%) and through month 12 (>80%) for both groups (D‐Rd [n = 368]; Rd [n = 369]). Improvement in Global Health Status (GHS) occurred in both groups; however, for D‐Rd, significantly greater improvement was observed at cycle 3 (LS mean change; D‐Rd: 4.5 [95% CI: 2.4, 6.6], Rd: 1.5 [95% CI: −0.7, 3.7]; [p = 0.0454]) and increasing improvement occurred across all time points. Significant improvement and clinically meaningful benefit in HRQoL for D‐Rd was also observed in EQ‐5D‐5L Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores (LS mean change; D‐Rd: 10.1 [95% CI: 8.1, 12.1], Rd: 4.9 [95% CI: 2.8, 7.0]; [p = 0.0002]). The VAS median time to worsening was 10 mo longer for D‐Rd. Of note, meaningful differences were observed between the treatment groups in two subscale scores, pain symptoms and cognitive functioning. Statistically significant less pain was reported early with D‐Rd (LS mean change at cycle 3; D‐Rd: −17.9 [95% CI: −20.7, −15.0], Rd: −11.0 [95% CI: −14.0, −8.1]; [p = 0.0007]); clinically meaningful reduction in pain symptoms was sustained with D‐Rd. There was a decline in cognitive functioning through Cycle 12 in both treatment arms with the peak difference occurring at Cycle 9, but mean differences between groups were not statistically significant.Summary/Conclusion:Faster and sustained improvement in patients treated with D‐Rd was observed using HRQoL assessments compared with Rd, with similar findings reflected across the pain subscale.

Background:The expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Axl on cancer cells has been associated with poor prognosis and implicated in disease progression. Inhibition of Axl‐RTK with TP‐0903, a high affinity Axl‐RTK inhibitor induces robust apoptosis of several tumors, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Axl‐RTK inhibition has also been found to induce nonspecific immunomodulatory effects in syngeneic tumor models.Aims:We aimed to investigate the impact and downstream effects of Axl‐RTK inhibition on naïve T cells and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART), using CD19 directed CART cells (CART19) as a model.Methods:We utilized either PMA/Ionomycin or the CD19+ mantle cell lymphoma cell line, JeKo as a stimulant for naïve T cells and CART19, respectively. Cells were analyzed for cytokine profile, T cell phenotype, and kinetics after the stimulation in the presence or the absence of the Axl‐RTK inhibitor TP‐0903. Regarding in vivo experiment, a relapse JeKo xenograft model was used. Mice were treated with vehicle alone, TP‐0903 alone, CART19 alone, or TP‐0903 + CART19. Three weeks after the treatment, mice were re‐challenged with JeKo as a CART19 relapse model.Results:Stimulation of naïve T cells in the presence of the Axl‐RTK inhibitor TP‐0903 resulted in a significant reduction of Th2 cytokines and downregulation of inhibitory receptors. The differential expansion of either effector T cells or Tregs in the presence of TP‐0903 resulted in a preferential reduction of Tregs (Fig 1A). Axl‐RTK inhibition of CART19 led to Th1 polarization upon stimulation with the JeKo, as evident by the selective reduction of Th2 cytokine. Additionally, this resulted in a reduction of myeloid attracting cytokines, such as CXCL1, IL‐8, IL‐6, and IL‐10, cytokines implicated in the development cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity after CART cell therapy and in adaptive resistance to immunotherapy (Fig 1B). TP‐0903 also significantly downregulated inhibitory receptors on activated CARTs (Fig 1C). In our relapsed in vivo model, mice treated with CART19 + TP‐0903 rejected the JeKo challenge while mice received CART19 alone redeveloped disease, suggesting that Axl‐RTK inhibition enhanced CART cell persistence. Peripheral blood analysis of mice after the rechallenge showed a higher number of circulating T cells and lower level of MCP‐1. Western blotting was performed to investigate the downstream effect of Axl‐RTK inhibition on CART19 and it revealed a relatively selective inhibition of LCK on stimulated CART19. Transcriptome analysis of activated CARTs treated with TP‐0903 revealed >100 genes that were differentially expressed compared to untreated cells. Among these, Th cell and Treg polarization genes were significantly altered in activated CARTs treated with TP‐0903.imageFinally, we validated our findings in phase I clinical trial of TP‐0903 (NCT02729298). T cells isolated from 3 cancer patients showed a significant reduction of Tregs and Th1 polarization. This will be further investigated in a planned phase I clinical trial of TP‐0903 in relapsed/refractory CLL (NCT03572634).Summary/Conclusion:We showed for the first time that Axl‐RTK inhibition polarizes T cells into a Th1 functional phenotype, downregulates inhibitory receptors, and reduces myeloid associated cytokine production by CART19. The combination therapy yielded synergistic cytotoxicity against JeKo in vitro and in a CART19 relapse model. These findings encourage further study of Axl‐RTK inhibition with TP‐0903 as an enhancer of T cell immunotherapies.

Background: Radial access (RA) is increasingly used in chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention with encouraging results. However, there are concerns about its safety and efficacy because of higher complexity and the need for strong guide catheter support. Methods and Results: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all studies published through November 2018 reporting the outcomes of RA versus femoral access in CTO percutaneous coronary intervention. Outcomes included major bleeding, access-site complications, in-hospital major adverse events, and technical success. Nine observational studies with 10 590 patients (10 617 lesions) were included in the meta-analysis. CTO lesions attempted using RA had lower Japan-CTO score (2.3±1.2 versus 2.5±1.3; P <0.001). Use of RA was associated with similar technical success (78.7% versus 78.5%; odds ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.94–1.31; P =0.24; I 2 =23%), lower risk of access-site complications (0.73% versus 1.79%; odds ratio, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.22–0.51; P <0.001; I 2 =0%) and major bleeding (0.18% versus 0.9%; odds ratio, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.10–0.45; P <0.001; I 2 =0%), and similar risk of in-hospital adverse events and in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.12–1.07; P =0.07; I 2 =0%) as compared to femoral access. Results were similar when analyzing radial-only versus any femoral access and when excluding the largest study. Conclusions: As compared with femoral access, RA is used in CTO percutaneous coronary intervention of less complex lesions and is associated with fewer access-site complications and major bleeding and comparable technical success.