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Targeting HER2 (ERBB2) mutation-positive advanced biliary tract cancers with neratinib: Results from the phase II SUMMIT ‘basket’ trial.
Cleary, James M. , Moreno, Víctor , Spanggaard, Iben , Park, Haeseong , Ford, James M. , Xu, Feng , Lalani, Alshad S. , Piha‐Paul, Sarina A. , Moreno, Victor , Piha-Paul, Sarina A , Harding, James J. , Quinn, David I , Braña, Irene , Borad, Mitesh J. , Loi, Sherene , Arnedos, Mónica , Stemmer, Salomon M. , Fouchardière, Christelle de la , Viteri, Santiago , Fountzilas, Christos , Zhang, Jie , Abou‐Alfa, Ghassan K.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 22, 2021 | Volume: 39 | Issue: 3_suppl | Pages: 320-320

10.1200/jco.2021.39.3_suppl.320 Get It

320 Background: Genomic profiling studies have reported somatic HER2 mutations in ~2–5% of biliary tract cancers (BTC). Clinical data from the SUMMIT study demonstrate that neratinib, a pan-HER irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has encouraging clinical activity in multiple types of HER2-mutant solid tumor malignancies. Methods: SUMMIT is a multi-histology, open-label, phase II ‘basket’ study of neratinib in patients with somatic HER2 mutations (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01953926). Patients with activating somatic HER2 mutations with different histologies, including BTC, received neratinib monotherapy (240 mg oral daily). Loperamide prophylaxis was mandatory during cycle 1. Efficacy endpoints: objective response rate (ORR, RECIST v1.1); clinical benefit rate (CBR); duration of response; progression-free survival (PFS). Adverse events (AEs) were assessed by CTCAE v4.0. Genomic profiling from fresh/archival tumor tissues and/or plasma cfDNA was performed retrospectively by next-generation sequencing (MSK-IMPACT). Results: As of 3-Sep-2020, 25 patients with HER2-mutant BTC were enrolled: gallbladder (40%); intrahepatic (24%); extrahepatic (20%); ampulla of Vater (16%). 68% of patients received ≥2 systemic regimens (96% received prior gemcitabine-based regimens). The S310F/Y variant accounted for nearly half of HER2 mutations (n=11). Other HER2 mutations: V777L (n=5); L755S (n=2); V842I (n=2); R678Q (n=2). Confirmed ORR in 25 evaluable patients was 12% (95% CI 3–31%) and CBR was 20% (95% CI 7–41%), including 3 confirmed PRs and 2 patients with SD for ≥16 weeks. Tumor shrinkage was observed in multiple HER2-activating mutations and enriched in gallbladder and extrahepatic subtypes of BTC. Median PFS was 2.8 (95% CI 1.1–3.7) months; median overall survival (OS) was 5.4 (95% CI 3.7–11.7) months. Nine (36%) patients (3 of whom with ECOG PS 2) came off study within 28 (range 6–47) days of treatment due to clinical deterioration (unrelated to study drug) followed by death. The most common treatment-related AEs (any grade) were diarrhea (56%) and vomiting (48%). Diarrhea was the most common Grade 3 event (24%); 4 patients (16%) required a neratinib dose reduction; no patients discontinued treatment due to diarrhea. Conclusions: Neratinib is safe and tolerable in patients with advanced BTC patients and somatic HER2 mutations. The antitumor activity of neratinib appears comparable to current standards of care, with similar PFS and OS in heavily pretreated patients. Analysis of co-occurring oncogenic mutations and response is ongoing, and consideration is being given to neratinib-based combination regimens to further improve outcomes in this setting. Clinical trial information: NCT01953926.
Association of total neoadjuvant therapy with favorable clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced esophageal and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas (LA-GEJ CA).
Jurkowski, Lauren , Shreenivas, Aditya , Chakrabarti, Sakti , Kamgar, Mandana , Puckett, Lindsay , Shukla, Monica , Gore, Elizabeth , Johnstone, Candice, Gasparri, Mario, Linsky, Paul L., Johnstone, David W., Dua, Kulwinder S. , Madhavan, Srivats, George, Ben , Chakrabarti, Sakti , Thomas, James P. , Evans, John , Khan, Abdul H. , Szabó, Anikó

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 22, 2021 | Volume: 39 | Issue: 3_suppl | Pages: 231-231

10.1200/jco.2021.39.3_suppl.231 Get It

231 Background: Both peri-operative chemotherapy and neoadjuvant chemoradiation have been shown to improve outcomes in patients (pts) with LA-GEJ CA compared to surgery alone. Rates of post-operative chemotherapy delivery remain suboptimal. Total neo-adjuvant therapy (TNT) in LA-GEJ CA - induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) - may improve systematic delivery of neoadjuvant therapy and result in favorable clinical outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 135 pts with LA-GEJ CA at our institution between 2/2007 and 11/2019; pertinent clinical data were abstracted with Institutional Review Board approval. Patients treated with IC and curative-intent CRT with ≥40 Gy dose of radiation for adenocarcinoma were included in this analysis (N = 59). Doublet or triplet IC regimens utilizing 5-Flurouracil(5-FU), Cisplatin/Oxaliplatin and Docetaxel were commonly administered while combinations of Carboplatin +Paclitaxel or 5-FU + Oxaliplatin were used in CRT. Clinical complete response (CCR) was defined as metabolic imaging and endoscopic biopsies negative for residual malignancy after completion of TNT. Patients were followed from diagnosis to recurrence and overall survival. Survival probabilities were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between groups using a log-rank test. Results: Out of 59 evaluable pts, 69% were clinical stage T3, 71% were node positive. 37 pts (63%) underwent surgery, R0 resection rate was 89% (33/37), pathologic complete response (pCR) rate was 19% (7/37). Among the pts who did not undergo surgery, 41% (9/22) opted to forego surgery since they attained a CCR. For the entire cohort, median Disease-Free Survival (mDFS), median Overall Survival (mOS), and 3-yr OS were 2.4 yrs, 4.7 yrs, and 67% respectively. Pts who did not undergo surgery had a mDFS, mOS, and 3-yr OS of 1.5 yrs, 4.2 yrs, and 59% respectively. Median DFS, mOS, and 3-yr OS of patients who underwent surgery were 3.5 yrs, 5.8 yrs and 72% respectively. Patients who achieved a CCR and opted to forego surgery (N = 9) had a 3 -yr DFS of 42% vs 83% for pts (N = 7) who demonstrated a pCR after curative intent tri-modality therapy. (P = 0.0099) Interestingly, the same group that achieved CCR and opted out of surgery had 3yr OS of 89% vs 83% of those who demonstrated a pCR (p = 0.0042). Conclusions: TNT for pts with LA-GEJ CA is associated with high rates of R0 resection as well as excellent DFS and OS compared to historical controls, warranting prospective evaluation. The remarkable DFS and OS in patients who opted to forego surgery due to achieving CCR is reflective of the local and systemic control rendered by this approach. Careful characterization and close longitudinal follow-up of patients who achieve CCR may help identify a subgroup of LA-GEJ CA pts who may benefit from surgery sparing approaches.
Prognostic value of tumor deposits in stage III colon cancer patients, a post-hoc analysis of CALGB/SWOG 80702 phase III study.
Cohen, Romain , Meyers, Jeffrey P., Jin, Zhaohui , Svrcek, Magali , Fuchs, Charles S. , Couture, Félix , Kuebler, J. Phillip, Bendell, Johanna C. , Kumar, Pankaj , Lewis, DeQuincy Andrew, Tan, Benjamin , Höchster, Howard S. , Blanke, Charles D. , Shields, Anthony F. , Jin, Zhaohui , Cohen, Romain , Shi, Qian , Jesus‐Acosta, Ana De , Bertagnolli, Monica M. , O’Reilly, Eileen M. , Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 22, 2021 | Volume: 39 | Issue: 3_suppl | Pages: 10-10

10.1200/jco.2021.39.3_suppl.10 Get It

10 Background: In colon cancer, tumor deposits (TD) have been associated with worse prognosis, but they are included in the TNM staging system only in the absence of lymph node metastasis (i.e., stage III pN1c tumors). Here we aimed at evaluating the prognostic value of TD and the impact of the addition of TD in the count of lymph node metastases in patients with stage III colon cancer from the CALGB/SWOG 80702 phase III trial (NCT01150045). Methods: Pathological reports of all patients were reviewed for the presence and the count of TD, primary tumor sidedness, lymphovascular invasion and perineural invasion. Cases without available pathological report or without specific information of TD were excluded. Prognostic associations were evaluated by multi-variable Cox models adjusting for treatment arm, T-stage, N-stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion and lymph node ratio. Results: Overall, 2028 patients were included, with 524 (26%) TD-positive and 1504 (74%) TD-negative stage III tumors. Of the TD-positive patients, 80 (15.4%) were node negative (i.e., pN1c), 239 (46.1%) were pN1a/b and 200 (38.55%) were pN2. 17.2% and 37.0% of all pN1a/b and pN2 tumors had TD. Overall median follow-up was 69.3 months. The presence of TD was associated with poorer DFS (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.59, 95%CI 1.28-1.91) and OS (aHR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.18-1.95) in the overall population. The negative effect of TD on DFS and OS was observed for both pN1a/b and pN2 groups and confirmed in multivariate Cox model. Among TD-positive patients, the number of TD had a linear negative effect on DFS and OS. Adding TD to the count of lymph node metastases, 104 of 1570 (6.6%) patients initially considered as pN1 were re-staged as pN2. Re-staged pN2 patients experienced worse DFS (3-year DFS rate: 65.5% versus 80.3%, P = .0003) and OS (5-year OS rate: 69.1 versus 87.8%, P = .0005) than patients confirmed as pN1. Re-staged pN2 patients had similar DFS than patients initially staged as pN2 (3-year DFS rate: 65.5% versus 63.1%, P = .1992). OS curves of these 2 groups crossed, with better outcomes during the first 3 years of follow-up but poorer 5-year estimates for re-staged pN2 patients (5-year OS rate: 69.1% versus 74.8%, P = .0436). Conclusions: TD are found in more than one fourth of stage III colon cancer specimens. The number of TD has a linear deleterious effect on patients’ prognosis. Adding the number of TD to the count of lymph node metastases improves the prognostication accuracy of the TNM staging. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org . Clinical trial information: NCT01150045.
Perioperative Diabetes Insipidus Caused by Anesthetic Medications: A Review of the Literature
Decar, Lauren M. Van, Reynolds, Emily G., Sharpe, Emily E., Harbell, Monica W., Kosiorek, Heidi E., Kraus, Molly B., Kraus, Molly B. , Kraus, Molly B , Decar, Lauren M. Van, Reynolds, Emily G., Sharpe, Emily E., Harbell, Monica W., Kosiorek, Heidi E., Kraus, Molly B.

Anesthesia & Analgesia | January 13, 2021 | Volume: 134 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 82-89

10.1213/ane.0000000000005344 | PMID 33410610 Get It

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is an uncommon perioperative complication that can occur secondary to medications or surgical manipulation and can cause significant hypovolemia and electrolyte abnormalities. We reviewed and evaluated the current literature and identified 29 cases of DI related to medications commonly used in anesthesia such as propofol, dexmedetomidine, sevoflurane, ketamine, and opioids. This review summarizes the case reports and frequency of DI with each medication and presents possible pathophysiology. Medication-induced DI should be included in the differential diagnosis when intraoperative polyuria is identified. Early identification, removal of the agent, and treatment of intraoperative DI are critical to minimize complications.
Stereotactic radiosurgery with versus without prior Onyx embolization for brain arteriovenous malformations
Ding, Dale , Lee, Cheng‐Chia , Kearns, Kathryn N. , Pomeraniec, I. Jonathan , Cifarelli, Christopher P. , Arsanious, David, Liščák, Roman , Hanuška, Jaromír, Woo, Shiao Y. , Ironside, Natasha , Burke, Rebecca M. , Warnick, Ronald E. , Mathieu, David , Mureb, Monica , Benjamin, Carolina , Feliciano, Caleb , Rodríguez‐Mercado, Rafael, Cockroft, Kevin M. , Simon, Scott D. , Mackley, Heath B., Zammar, Samer G. , Patel, Neel, Padmanaban, Varun , Beatson, Nathan, Saylany, Anissa , Lee, John Y. K. , Sheehan, Jason P. , _, _, May, Jaromír , Ding, Dale , Mathieu, David , Chen, Ching‐Jen , Williams, Brian J. , Yusuf, Mehran Behruj , Trifiletti, Daniel M. , Kondziolka, Douglas , _, _

Journal of Neurosurgery | December 11, 2020 | Volume: 135 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 742-750

10.3171/2020.7.jns201731 | PMID 33307527 Get It

OBJECTIVE Investigations of the combined effects of neoadjuvant Onyx embolization and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) on brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have not accounted for initial angioarchitectural features prior to neuroendovascular intervention. The aim of this retrospective, multicenter matched cohort study is to compare the outcomes of SRS with versus without upfront Onyx embolization for AVMs using de novo characteristics of the preembolized nidus. METHODS The International Radiosurgery Research Foundation AVM databases from 1987 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized based on AVM treatment approach into Onyx embolization (OE) and SRS (OE+SRS) or SRS alone (SRS-only) cohorts and then propensity score matched in a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome was AVM obliteration. Secondary outcomes were post-SRS hemorrhage, all-cause mortality, radiological and symptomatic radiation-induced changes (RICs), and cyst formation. Comparisons were analyzed using crude rates and cumulative probabilities adjusted for competing risk of death. RESULTS The matched OE+SRS and SRS-only cohorts each comprised 53 patients. Crude rates (37.7% vs 47.2% for the OE+SRS vs SRS-only cohorts, respectively; OR 0.679, p = 0.327) and cumulative probabilities at 3, 4, 5, and 6 years (33.7%, 44.1%, 57.5%, and 65.7% for the OE+SRS cohort vs 34.8%, 45.5%, 59.0%, and 67.1% for the SRS-only cohort, respectively; subhazard ratio 0.961, p = 0.896) of AVM obliteration were similar between the matched cohorts. The secondary outcomes of the matched cohorts were also similar. Asymptomatic and symptomatic embolization-related complication rates in the matched OE+SRS cohort were 18.9% and 9.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Pre-SRS AVM embolization with Onyx does not appear to negatively influence outcomes after SRS. These analyses, based on de novo nidal characteristics, thereby refute previous studies that found detrimental effects of Onyx embolization on SRS-induced AVM obliteration. However, given the risks incurred by nidal embolization using Onyx, this neoadjuvant intervention should be used judiciously in multimodal treatment strategies involving SRS for appropriately selected large-volume or angioarchitecturally high-risk AVMs.
Prediction of longitudinal clinical outcomes of MCI population using Alzheimer’s AT[N] biomarker profiling: Can machine learning methods improve our predictions?
Truelove‐Hill, Monica , Sreepada, Lasya P , Pomponio, Raymond , Zammit, Andrea R. , Aisen, Paul , Ezzati, Ali , Harvey, Danielle , Davatzikos, Christos , Jack, Clifford R. , Lipton, Richard B.

Alzheimer's & Dementia | December 7, 2020 | Volume: 16 | Issue: S5 | Pages: No page available

10.1002/alz.041125 Get It

AbstractBackgroundThe NIA‐AA Research Framework on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents an important advance in the biological characterization of the AD spectrum. While this framework predicts disease progression, definitions of amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration positivity based on cut‐scores may limit the performance of predictive models.Method252 cognitively normal (CN), 424 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 128 AD participants were included in this study. aMCI participants at baseline were classified using 2 different methods: 1) Using conventional AT[N] criteria based on proposed cut‐offs in CSF or brain imaging measures: participants were classified on the AD continuum (A+T‐N‐, A+T+N‐, A+T‐N+, A+T+N+) and non‐AD continuum (all other subgroups); and 2) using a machine learning (ML) based method (ensemble linear discriminant model built using CN and AD participants) to classify MCI participants as CN‐like or AD‐like based on continuous CSF biomarkers, regional amyloid PET, FDG‐PET, and volumetric MRI (variables contributing to AT[N] classification; Table 1). Predictive performance of AT[N]‐based classification and ML‐based classification were assessed using clinical outcomes at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years of follow‐up.ResultA total of 414 aMCI participants had at least one wave of follow‐up (N of 397, 400, 346, 297, 238, and 93 at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, respectively). The progression rate from aMCI to AD was 5.8% at 6m, 9.5% at 1y, 17.9% at 2y, 19.9% at 3y, 20.2% at 4y, and 15% at 5y of follow‐up. Presence of AD pathology at baseline (AT[N]‐based AD continuum) predicted progression to AD with high sensitivity but modest specificity during follow up (Table 2). ML‐based classification was less sensitive but substantially more specific. ML‐based classification models were significantly more accurate than AT[N]‐based classification at all follow‐up periods (McNemar test, p‐value<0.001 for all).ConclusionA single cut‐point approach used in AT[N] classification lacks accuracy when research questions require high diagnostic or prognostic certainty. A multivariate approach using ML methods can improve accuracy of prediction of disease progression. PPVs were higher at all follow‐up time points for ML‐based classification, indicating that progression to AD occurs at a higher rate in persons identified by ML.
Histone H3.3 beyond cancer: Germline mutations in Histone 3 Family 3A and 3B cause a previously unidentified neurodegenerative disorder in 46 patients
Bryant, Laura , Li, Dong , Cox, Samuel G., Wilson, Khadija , Janssen, Kevin A. , March, Michael , Sherr, Elliott H. , Fregeau, Brieana, Wierenga, Klaas J. , Wadley, Alexandrea, Mancini, Grazia M.S., Powell‐Hamilton, Nina , Kamp, Jiddeke van de, Grebe, Theresa A., Ross, Alison , Crawford, Heather P., Powis, Zöe , Cho, Megan T. , Willing, Marcia, Schot, Rachel , Afenjar, Alexandra , Lessel, Davor , Wagner, Matias , Klopstock, Thomas , Winkelmann, Juliane , Retterer, Kyle , Schuette, Jane L., Innis, Jeffrey W. , Pizzino, Amy , Lüttgen, Sabine, Denecke, Jonas , Strom, Tim M., Monaghan, Kristin G. , Study, DDD, Yuan, Zuo‐Fei , Dubbs, Holly , Bend, Renee, Lee, Jennifer A. , Lyons, Michael J. , Hoefele, Julia , Günthner, Roman , Keren, Boris , Radtke, Kelly, Sherbini, Omar , Mrokse, Cameron, Helbig, Katherine L. , Odent, Sylvie , Mercier, Sandra , Küry, Sébastien , Redon, Richard , Reinson, Karit , Wojcik, Monica H. , Õunap, Katrin , Ilves, Pilvi , Innes, A. Micheil , Kernohan, Kristin D. , Costain, Gregory , Zackai, Elaine H. , Kitson, Hilary, Study, CAUSES, Martin, Martin G., Martínez-Agosto, Julián A. , Network, Undiagnosed Diseases, Nelson, Stan F., Palmer, Christina G.S. , Papp, Jeanette C. , Parker, Neil H., Wan, Jijun , Yoon, Amanda J., Zheng, Allison, Carli, Diana , Brusco, Alfredo , Tartaglia, Marco , Thomas, Jennifer Muncy, Weiss, Marjan M. , Gotway, Garrett , Stuurman, Kyra E. , Thompson, Michelle L. , Stumpel, Constance T. R. M., Stevens, Servi J.C. , Stegmann, Alexander P.A. , Tveten, Kristian , Vøllo, Arve, Prescott, Trine , Fagerberg, Christina , Laulund, Lone Walentin , Larsen, Martin J. , Byler, Melissa, Lebel, Robert Roger, Dean, Joy, Mercimek‐Andrews, Saadet , Neira, Juanita, Allen, Margot I. Van, Sellars, Elizabeth A. , Louie, Raymond J. , Cathey, Sara , Brokamp, Elly , Héron, Delphine, Snyder, Molly, Simon, Celeste, Cruz, Xavier de la , Padilla, Natàlia , García, Benjamin A. , Håkonarson, Håkon , Bhoj, Elizabeth , Nelson, Stanley F. , Sherr, Elliott , Dean, John , Lessel, Davor , Klopstock, Thomas , Kury, Sebastien , Brusco, Alfredo , McWalter, Kirsty , Stevens, Servi J C , Crump, J Gage , Hakonarson, Hakon , Bhoj, Elizabeth J , Tartaglia, Marco , Li, Dong , Wagner, Matias , Redon, Richard , Õunap, Katrin , de la Cruz, Xavier , Padilla, Natália , March, Michael , Hoefele, Julia , Marchione, Dylan M. , Joiner, Evan F. , Lee, Pearl , Nair, Divya, Kamp, Jiddeke M. van de , Manwaring, Linda P. , Nava, Caroline , Catarino, Claudia B. , Monaghan, Kristin G. , Study, DDD, Reutter, Heiko , Radtke, Kelly , Cogné, Benjamin , Bezieau, Stéphane , Besnard, Thomas , Meyn, M Stephen , Chitayat, David A. , Lehman, Anna , Study, CAUSES, Network, Undiagnosed Diseases, Sinsheimer, Janet S. , Vilain, Eric J. N. , Brimble, Elise , Ferrero, Giovanni Battista , Radio, Francesca Clementina , Barresi, Sabina , Umaña, Luis Alfredo , Hurst, Anna , Vergano, Samantha A. Schrier , Norman, Jennifer, Longo, Nicola , Vanderver, Adeline , Chung, Wendy K.

Science Advances | December 3, 2020 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 49 | Pages: No page available

10.1126/sciadv.abc9207 | PMID 33268356 Get It

Germ line mutations in H3F3A and H3F3B cause a previously unidentified neurodevelopmental syndrome.
Composite grading algorithm for the National Cancer Institute’s Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE)
Basch, Ethan , Becker, Claus, Rogak, Lauren J. , Spears, Patricia A. , Smith, Mary Lou , Gounder, Mrinal M. , Mahoney, Michelle R., Mendoza, Tito R. , Cleeland, Charles S. , Sloan, Jeff A. , Schwab, Gisela, Atkinson, Thomas M. , Thanarajasingam, Gita , Dueck, Amylou C. , Bennett, Antonia V , Bertagnolli, Monica M , Dueck, A. C. , Mendoza, Tito , Basch, Ethan , Schrag, Deborah , Reeve, Bryce B. , Schwartz, Gary K. , Bruner, Deborah Watkins , Bertagnolli, Monica M.

Clinical Trials | December 1, 2020 | Volume: 18 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 104-114

10.1177/1740774520975120 | PMID 33258687 Get It

Background: The Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events is an item library designed for eliciting patient-reported adverse events in oncology. For each adverse event, up to three individual items are scored for frequency, severity, and interference with daily activities. To align the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events with other standardized tools for adverse event assessment including the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, an algorithm for mapping individual items for any given adverse event to a single composite numerical grade was developed and tested. Methods: A five-step process was used: (1) All 179 possible Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events score combinations were presented to 20 clinical investigators to subjectively map combinations to single numerical grades ranging from 0 to 3. (2) Combinations with <75% agreement were presented to investigator committees at a National Clinical Trials Network cooperative group meeting to gain majority consensus via anonymous voting. (3) The resulting algorithm was refined via graphical and tabular approaches to assure directional consistency. (4) Validity, reliability, and sensitivity were assessed in a national study dataset. (5) Accuracy for delineating adverse events between study arms was measured in two Phase III clinical trials (NCT02066181 and NCT01522443). Results: In Step 1, 12/179 score combinations had <75% initial agreement. In Step 2, majority consensus was reached for all combinations. In Step 3, five grades were adjusted to assure directional consistency. In Steps 4 and 5, composite grades performed well and comparably to individual item scores on validity, reliability, sensitivity, and between-arm delineation. Conclusion: A composite grading algorithm has been developed and yields single numerical grades for adverse events assessed via the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, and can be useful in analyses and reporting.
Impact of Massage Therapy on the Quality of Life of Hospice Patients and Their Caregivers: A Pilot Study
Havyer, Rachel D. , Dockter, Travis , McCue, Shaylene , Stelpflug, Amy J., Bigelow, Maureen L., Robsahm, Mary Meg, Elwood, Theresa, Strand, Jacob J. , Bauer, Brent A. , Cutshall, Susanne M. , Sloan, Jeff A. , Walton, Monica P., Whitford, Kevin J. , Dockter, Travis J, Lapid, Maria I.

Journal of Palliative Care | November 20, 2020 | Volume: 37 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 41-47

10.1177/0825859720975991 | PMID 33213233 Get It

Evidence for massage therapy (MT) in hospice patients remains limited. We conducted a prospective pilot study on MTs impact on quality of life of hospice patients and caregivers. Patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled if patients scored ≥5 on pain, depression, anxiety, or well-being using the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System Revised (ESAS-r). The patient received MT weekly for up to 3 massages with assessments completed at baseline, after each massage, and 1 week after the final massage for patients and at baseline and 1 week after final massage for caregivers. A satisfaction survey was completed at study completion. A pro-rated area under the curve (AUC) was utilized to assess the primary endpoints of change in ESAS-r for patient ratings of pain, depression and anxiety as well as the Linear Analogue Self-Assessment (LASA). Median difference scores (end of study value)-(baseline value) for each participant and caregiver were calculated. Of 27 patients and caregivers enrolled, 25 patients received MT. Fifteen patients completed all 3 MT sessions and were given the final symptom assessment and satisfaction survey and their caregivers completed final assessments. The proportion of patients considered success (AUC > baseline) in the primary endpoints were the following: pain 40.9%, depression 40.9%, anxiety 54.5%, LASA 54.5%. Median difference scores were largely zero indicating no significant temporal change in symptoms. Patients were highly satisfied with MT. This pilot study indicated that MT was a feasible and well-received intervention in our population of patients with inadequately controlled symptoms.
Utility of Plasma Neurofilament Light in the 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC)
Barker, Warren , Quiñonez, Carlos , Greig, Maria T., Behar, Raquel, Chirinos, Cesar, Rodriguez, Rosemarie, Rosselli, Mónica , Rodríguez, Miriam J. , Curiel, Rosie E. , McFarland, Karen N. , Hanson, Kevin , Vaillancourt, David E. , Adjouadi, Malek , Ertekin‐Taner, Nilüfer , Golde, Todd E. , Loewenstein, David , Duara, Ranjan , Loewenstein, David , Quinonez, Carlos, Rundek, Tatjana , Smith, Glenn E. , DeKosky, Steven T. , Marsiske, Michael , Duara, Ranjan

Journal of Alzheimer's Disease | November 17, 2020 | Volume: 79 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 59-70

10.3233/jad-200901 | PMID 33216030 Get It

Background: Plasma NfL (pNfL) levels are elevated in many neurological disorders. However, the utility of pNfL in a clinical setting has not been established. Objective: In a cohort of diverse older participants, we examined: 1) the association of pNfL to age, sex, Hispanic ethnicity, diagnosis, and structural and amyloid imaging biomarkers; and 2) its association to baseline and longitudinal cognitive and functional performance. Methods: 309 subjects were classified at baseline as cognitively normal (CN) or with cognitive impairment. Most subjects had structural MRI and amyloid PET scans. The most frequent etiological diagnosis was Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but other neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders were also represented. We assessed the relationship of pNfL to cognitive and functional status, primary etiology, imaging biomarkers, and to cognitive and functional decline. Results: pNfL increased with age, degree of hippocampal atrophy, and amyloid load, and was higher in females among CN subjects, but was not associated with Hispanic ethnicity. Compared to CN subjects, pNfL was elevated among those with AD or FTLD, but not those with neuropsychiatric or other disorders. Hippocampal atrophy, amyloid positivity and higher pNfL levels each added unique variance in predicting greater functional impairment on the CDR-SB at baseline. Higher baseline pNfL levels also predicted greater cognitive and functional decline after accounting for hippocampal atrophy and memory scores at baseline. Conclusion: pNfL may have a complementary and supportive role to brain imaging and cognitive testing in a memory disorder evaluation, although its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity as a stand-alone measure is modest. In the absence of expensive neuroimaging tests, pNfL could be used for differentiating neurodegenerative disease from neuropsychiatric disorders.