Citations

Background: While surgeon burnout is extensively documented, the medical community has limited corresponding data regarding what it might mean to thrive in the profession as captured by robust measures of “flourishing.” Study Design: We conducted a cross-sectional survey measuring flourishing in a sample of 1,000 practicing US surgeons from the American Medical Association Masterfile between September and December 2025, including the Harvard Flourish Index (FI) and Secure Flourish Index (SFI). We used multivariable regression to assess personal and professional correlates of flourishing. Results Of 959 eligible surgeons in our sample, 283 (30%) responded. Mean flourishing (SFI) score was 7.98 (± 1.21) on a 0-10 scale (higher score=higher flourishing). Surgeons reported the highest flourishing in "Financial and Material Stability" (8.57 ± 2.11) and "Meaning and Purpose" (8.50 ± 1.39), while "Close Social Relationships" (7.41 ± 2.08) was the lowest-ranked domain. In multivariate linear regression, working fewer hours (adjusted β (each additional hour), -0.02; p<0.001), having children (adjusted β, 0.43; p=0.05) and viewing surgery as a calling (adjusted β, 0.28; p=0.006) were associated with higher flourishing. A majority (88%) of surgeons view the profession as a calling. Conclusion: Practicing surgeons report high levels of flourishing, with scores surpassing several historical medical and non-medical cohorts. Most surgeons reported comparatively high scores in meaning and purpose concurrent with deficits in social connectivity. Burnout and well-being conversations in the surgical professions may benefit from a flourishing framework. Naming meaning and purpose exemplars while being able to identify key deficits like social connectivity may be crucial for helping surgeons thrive.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) involving the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare but serious life-threatening complication seen in recipients of solid organ transplant. Primary CNS encompasses 5–15% of all types of PTLD diagnoses, and heart transplant recipients represent 3–5% of those reported cases. Diagnosis is often delayed due to the highly variable presentation, with some cases remaining undiagnosed for years. Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for early diagnosis and management. A 53-year-old woman patient presented with altered mental status. MRI revealed nodular ventriculitis and bilateral periventricular hyperdense infiltrates. CSF studies demonstrated lymphocytic pleocytosis, elevated protein, and EBV-PCR-positive results. A stereotactic brain needle biopsy confirmed the presence of EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, consistent with primary CNS PTLD, 14 months after her heart transplant. Despite appropriate management, the patient experienced progressive neurological decline and ultimately suffered a fatal intracerebral hemorrhage. We demonstrate the importance of the early diagnosis and variable presentation of post-heart-transplant PTLD. The importance of surveillance regardless of EBV status and close monitoring of disease progression due to potential life-threatening complications, such as fatal hemorrhages. Therefore, primary CNS-PTLD remains a challenging disease and is being increasingly recognized with improved transplant recipient survival and prolonged exposure to chronic immunosuppression.

ABSTRACT Background : Tirofiban is a GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor, an anti‐platelet drug that is used in ischemic stroke or acute coronary syndromes. The goal of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of the drug in patients who have suffered an acute ischemic stroke. Methods : A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to December 2025 yielded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Tirofiban and conventional management in patients with acute ischemic stroke. We assessed the risk of bias using the revised Cochrane “Risk of bias” tool for randomized trials (RoB 2.0). We analyzed the outcomes using RevMan 5.4, with risk ratio (RR) as the effect measure. Results : A total of 9 RCTs with 4210 patients were included in our meta‐analysis. According to our meta‐analysis, the tirofiban group was associated with a statistically significant increase in the patients showing functional independence at 90 days, measured by patients with Modified Rankin Score (mRS) of 0–2 (RR 1.13; CI = 1.06–1.20) and excellent outcome (mRS score 0–1) at 90 days (RR 1.17; CI = 1.05–1.29). We found no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding mortality (RR 0.94; CI = 0.63–1.40). The tirofiban group had an increased incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (RR 1.25; CI = 1.06–1.47) but had a similar incidence of symptomatic ICH as compared to the control group (RR 1.48; CI = 0.98–2.24). Conclusion : This meta‐analysis suggests that tirofiban may improve favorable functional outcomes (mRS 0–2) in acute ischemic stroke, although the certainty of evidence was moderate. While no significant increase in sICH was observed, some analyses showed a higher rate of overall intracranial hemorrhage. These findings should therefore be interpreted cautiously, and further high‐quality randomized trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of tirofiban before routine guideline use.

TPS2103 Background: Treatment for newly diagnosed IDH-mutant astrocytoma, WHO grade 3, is based on the results of the CATNON study, demonstrating benefit of radiotherapy followed by 12 months of adjuvant temozolomide. While temozolomide and radiotherapy significantly improved survival, the prognosis for these patients remains limited and more effective therapies are required. This trial will evaluate the benefit of the addition of the IDH1 and IDH-2 inhibitor vorasidenib to adjuvant temozolomide versus placebo following standard radiotherapy to evaluate possible improvement in outcomes. Methods: Alliance A072301 (NCT07215910) is a multicenter, double-blinded phase 3 randomized study to determine if the addition of vorasidenib to adjuvant temozolomide significantly improves progression-free survival (PFS), based on blinded central review in patients with newly diagnosed, IDH-mutant astrocytoma, WHO grade 3. Key inclusion criteria include age ≥ 12 years old, histological confirmation of astrocytoma (absence of 1p/19q codeletion), WHO grade 3, presence of any IDH mutation, plan for radiation and chemotherapy and surgery within 6 months. The presence of CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, spinal or leptomeningeal disease, as well as prior chemotherapy, cranial irradiation or IDH inhibitor therapy, is exclusionary. 408 patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive vorasidenib 40 mg or placebo daily with 12 cycles of temozolomide following radiotherapy and then continued as monotherapy until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Stratification factors include age (< 40 years old vs ≥ 40 years old) and residual disease (< 2 cm vs ≥ 2 cm). Tumor assessments with MRI will be every three months for the first two years, every four months for the next two years and then every six months thereafter as per blinded independent central review using the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) 2.0 criteria. Key secondary endpoints include PFS by local review, time to next treatment, safety and tolerability, quality of life measures. Exploratory measures will include seizure frequency. The trial will have 85% power to detect a hazard ratio of 0.625 with one-sided type I error rate of 0.025. Enrollment for the trial commenced February 2026. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, U24CA196171. https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org.

e16334 Background: Liver cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Although overall mortality has increased over the past two decades, age-specific patterns and demographic disparities are not fully characterized. Here, we analyzed U.S. liver cancer mortality trends from 1999 to 2023, with a focus on age-related, racial and ethnic, and geographic differences. Methods: Mortality data for U.S. adults aged ≥25 years from 1999 to 2023 were obtained from the CDC WONDER database (ICD-10 codes C22.0–C22.9). Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were standardized to the 2000 U.S. population. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) across age groups, sex, race/ethnicity, U.S. census regions, and levels of urbanization. Results: From 1999 to 2023, overall liver cancer AAMRs increased from 6.95 to 10.1 per 100,000. Marked age-specific differences were observed. Mortality among adults aged 45–54 and 55–64 years peaked in the mid-2010s and subsequently experienced significant declines through 2023 (recent APCs < −4.5% for both groups; P < 0.001). Specifically, while the overall AAPC for the 55–64 age group was +1.89%, mortality significantly reversed after 2016 (APC, −4.59%). In contrast, mortality continued to rise among older adults, including those aged 65–74 years (AAPC, +2.26%), 75–84 years (AAPC, +1.69%), and aged ≥85 years (AAPC, +1.77%) (all P < 0.001). Differences in mortality trends were also identified across racial and ethnic groups. Sustained increases were observed among Non-Hispanic White individuals (AAPC, +1.89%; P < 0.001), while Hispanic/Latino populations experienced declines after 2013 (APC, −0.67%; P = 0.003). Non-Hispanic Black individuals demonstrated a significant decrease in mortality between 2017 and 2020 (APC, −3.82%; P = 0.03). Regionally, liver cancer mortality declined in the Northeast after 2013 (APC, −0.66%; P < 0.001), whereas no significant post-peak declines were observed in the South or West. Conclusions: U.S. liver cancer mortality trends exhibit substantial heterogeneity by age, race and ethnicity, and geographic region. The recent, sharp declines among middle-aged adults (APCs < −4.5%) likely reflect the success of large-scale viral hepatitis screenings and highly effective antiviral therapies, whereas continued increases among older adults may relate to the cumulative impact of metabolic risk factors and delayed diagnosis. Persistent racial and regional disparities highlight the need for targeted, age-specific prevention and surveillance strategies.

e16102 Background: Esophageal cancer remains a significant cause of cancer mortality in the United States. While overall trends have been reported, less is known regarding contemporary long-term patterns and specific disparities across demographic and geographic strata. We aimed to characterize esophageal cancer mortality trajectories and identify populations with divergent outcomes by age, race/ethnicity, geographic region, and urbanization status. Methods: We analyzed esophageal cancer mortality data from 1999 to 2023 using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER database. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were standardized to the 2000 U.S. standard population. Joinpoint regression analysis was utilized to estimate the annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Analyses were stratified by age, sex, race/ethnicity, census region, state, and urbanization level. Results: Overall esophageal cancer mortality in the U.S. declined significantly from 1999 to 2023 (AAPC, -0.81%; 95% CI, -0.97% to -0.65%; P < 0.001). Declines were observed across most age groups, with the steepest reductions among adults aged 45-54 years (AAPC, -1.68%; 95% CI, -2.01% to -1.35%) and 55-64 years (AAPC, -1.25%; 95% CI, -1.51% to -0.99%). Marked racial and ethnic disparities were identified. Non-Hispanic (NH) Black individuals experienced the most rapid decline (AAPC, -4.07%; 95% CI, -4.42% to -3.72%). Conversely, trends among NH White individuals remained stable overall (AAPC, -0.05%; P = 0.59), characterized by an initial increase from 1999 to 2005 (APC, 1.14%; P = 0.002) followed by a modest decline from 2005 to 2023 (APC, -0.44%; P < 0.001). Regionally, the West demonstrated the largest decline (AAPC, -1.13%; 95% CI, -1.26% to -0.99%), followed by the Northeast (AAPC, -1.05%). West Virginia was the only state to exhibit a significant increase in mortality (AAPC, 1.01%; 95% CI, 0.38% to 1.64%; P = 0.003). Mortality declined significantly in metropolitan areas (AAPC, -1.09%; P < 0.001), while trends in nonmetropolitan areas remained stagnant (AAPC, 0.48%; P = 0.12). Conclusions: Despite a national decline in esophageal cancer mortality, substantial disparities persist across racial, geographic, and urbanization groups. The dramatic improvement among NH Black populations contrasts with the relative stability in NH White populations and the lack of progress in nonmetropolitan areas. The significant rise in mortality in West Virginia warrants targeted investigation. These findings underscore the critical need for population-tailored strategies to ensure equitable progress in cancer prevention and care.

e13663 Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) in oncology, including computer vision and radiomics, has expanded rapidly with substantial federal support. However, the extent to which growth in funding and publications is accompanied by growth in prospective interventional evaluation is not well quantified. We conducted an ecosystem-level analysis to compare temporal trends in federal awards, peer-reviewed publications, and interventional clinical trial registrations in AI-oncology. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional landscape analysis spanning 2015–2025 using three public data sources: (1) federally funded extramural awards indexed in NIH RePORTER (including NIH/NCI and other agencies where available); (2) interventional studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov; and (3) PubMed-indexed publications. Records were identified using a consistent Boolean query requiring AI-related terms (“artificial intelligence,” “machine learning,” “deep learning,” “neural network,” “large language model,” “computer vision,” “natural language processing,” “radiomics”) AND oncology-related terms (“cancer,” “oncology,” “tumor,” “neoplasm,” “carcinoma,” “melanoma,” “leukemia,” “lymphoma”). Annual absolute counts were extracted (without normalization) to preserve volume differences across the ecosystem. We summarized growth over time and calculated publication-to-trial and grant-to-output ratios. Results: Between 2015 and 2025, AI-oncology federal awards totaled 11,503. PubMed-indexed AI-oncology publications increased 38-fold from 558 (2015) to 21,414 (2025), totaling 81,782. Interventional AI-oncology trial registrations increased from 2 (2015) to 84 (2025), totaling 372 across the period. Overall, the publication-to-interventional-trial ratio was 220:1; interventional trial registrations represented 0.45% of publication volume. For every federal award, approximately 7 publications were produced, but only 0.03 interventional trials were registered. Conclusions: Across 2015–2025, AI-oncology funding and publications increased dramatically, while interventional trial registrations remained comparatively sparse. This persistent publication-to-trial gap highlights a translational bottleneck and supports targeted initiatives to accelerate prospective validation, such as dedicated funding mechanisms, multi-center evaluation networks, and trial-ready implementation infrastructure, to realize clinical benefit from AI in cancer care.

e12749 Background: Breast cancer (BC) survivors are at higher risk for recurrence or new primary disease and often require complex surveillance imaging. Use of contrast enhanced surveillance imaging modalities with contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has increased in recent years. This study evaluates characteristics of those BC survivors who receive contrast enhanced imaging and whether the addition of contrast enhanced imaging affects biopsy outcomes in BC survivors. Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective chart review identified female BC survivors who underwent breast surgery and subsequent surveillance imaging at a single academic center between 2016 and 2025. Surveillance episodes were categorized as mammography alone versus mammography with addition of CEM and/or MRI. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to compare patient and tumor characteristics associated with enhanced imaging modality use. Similarly rates of biopsy and cancer were evaluated with enhanced imaging use. Results: A total of 4,050 surveillance imaging episodes in 861 patients were identified and 54 resulted in biopsy-proven malignancy. Mammography alone was performed in 3,459 episodes, while enhanced imaging with CEM or MRI was used in 591 (14.6%) episodes. Use of CEM or MRI for surveillance imaging increased over time. In 2016, surveillance imaging consisted predominantly of mammography alone (93.3%) with 6.6% incorporating MRI or CEM. By 2025, mammography only surveillance decreased to 78.4% while use of MRI or CEM increased to 21.6%. Use of contrast enhanced imaging was associated with higher incidence rate ratios (IRR) for dense breast tissue [IRR 2.33; 95% CI 1.92, 2.82), p < 0.001] and less frequently used among patients aged 65–79 years [IRR 0.60, 95% CI 0.49, 0.74; p < 0.0001] and > = 80 years of age [IRR 0.40; 95% CI 0.24, 0.66; p < 0.001]. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (IRR 3.09, p = 0.0061), and immunotherapy use (IRR 2.56, p = 0.0006) also were associated with increased use of CEM/MRI enhanced imaging. Biopsies were performed in 146 (4.2%) mammography alone episodes and 55 (9.3%) enhanced imaging episodes [IRR 2.20; 95% CI 1.63, 2.96; p < 0.001]. Surveillance with mammography yielded malignant biopsy results in 39 (1.1%) episodes, compared with 15 (2.5%) episodes using enhanced imaging [IRR 2.25; 95% CI 1.25, 4.06; p = 0.007). Conclusions: In breast cancer surveillance at our institution, the addition of contrast enhanced imaging modalities were utilized in a minority of surveillance episodes but did increase over time and were higher in patients with dense breasts. CEM or MRI usage demonstrated higher biopsy rates and increased malignancy detection compared with mammography alone, but the incidence of a positive biopsy was low. These findings suggest and are in keeping with 2023 ACR guidelines that enhanced imaging may improve cancer detection in select breast cancer survivors.

e12691 Background: Breast cancer prognosis is influenced not only by tumor-specific factors but also by systemic inflammatory responses. Elevated circulating neutrophils after surgery may reflect one such systemic inflammatory response that promotes a pro-tumorigenic environment. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been recognized as promoters of cancer activity. However, there have been no studies looking at neutrophil count alone as an independent inflammatory marker in cancer. Clinical prognostic significance of post-operative neutrophil counts remains incompletely understood. If proven significant, neutrophil count is a simple, widely available measure to predict post-operative outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Data from the Mayo Clinic Platform were retrospectively analyzed, including only breast cancer patients with normal BMI and neutrophil counts recorded within one week after breast surgery. Patients who underwent radical mastectomy were excluded. Patients were stratified into two groups based on neutrophil count: high (>7×10⁹/L) and normal (1.7–7×10⁹/L). Clinical outcomes assessed included age distribution and 5-year overall survival. Age differences were evaluated using Cohen’s D, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves and hazard ratio estimation were performed using the Mayo Clinic Platform's tool. Results: A total of 899 patients were included in the study cohort: 303 in the high neutrophil group (Cohort A) and 596 in the normal neutrophil group (Cohort B). Age distributions were comparable between groups (Cohort A mean 59.2 ± 13.1 years; Cohort B mean 59.1 ± 14.3 years; Cohen's d = 0.0079). High neutrophil counts were significantly associated with reduced 5-year survival (77.8% vs. 84.5%) and an increased risk of mortality (HR 1.63; 95% CI: 1.16–2.29; P = 0.0041). Conclusions: Recent literature supports that surgery-induced NET formation may drive metastatic progression. Findings from this retrospective analysis at Mayo Clinic suggest that elevated neutrophil counts after breast cancer surgery are associated with poorer survival and may reflect systemic inflammation. While markers like NLR and NPAR have prognostic value, neutrophil count alone is a practical, accessible biomarker for clinical use. Limitations of this study include potential confounding factors such as lifestyle and comorbidities, and lack of subgroup analysis by breast cancer type, stage, and other treatments in addition to surgery. Further prospective studies are still needed for validation. Five-year survival rate comparison. Statistic High Neutrophil counts Normal Neutrophil counts Patient Count 303 596 1 Month Survival 99% 99.8% 5 Month Survival 97% 99.3% 10 Month Survival 94.4% 97.3% 30 Month Survival 85.4% 91.9% 60 Month Survival 77.8% 84.5% Hazard Ratio* 1.63 (95% CI: 1.16–2.29) P = 0.0041.

7532 Background: BsAbs are highly effective, off-the-shelf T-cell engagers recently approved for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) but remain underutilized in real-world settings. In partnership with the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), a statewide initiative was launched to expand BsAb access through peer-led regional discussions focused on operational barriers, care transitions, and therapy management strategies. This study assessed the real-world impact of these interventions on BsAb utilization in FL. Methods: Multidisciplinary discussion forums were held in 4 FL metropolitan areas (Jan-Apr 2024). We conducted single and controlled interrupted time series (ITS) analyses using IQVIA eLAAD claims data (Apr 2023 - Sep 2025) including adult patients with a diagnosis of MM, evidence of claim activity, and provider state information. Fifth line or later (5L+) status was estimated as 3.3% of MM prevalence (Nikolaou et al.) BsAb utilization (% of MM 5L+ patients receiving a BsAb) was evaluated using segmented regression to estimate pre- and post-intervention trends, excluding the intervention period. We reported BsAb utilization by comparing FL with all other states, between community versus academic settings, and assessing the number of sites administering BsAb. Results: Before the intervention, BsAb utilization among MM 5L+ patients in FL rose from 8.2% (Apr 2023) to 11.2% (Dec 2023) (0.3 pp/mo; p=0.23), compared with a rise from 6.7% to 16.3% (1.3 pp/mo; p<0.0001) across all other states over the same time period. Post-intervention, BsAb utilization in FL increased from 22.8% (May 2024) to 35.9% (Sep 2025), reflecting a 7.0% immediate increase and 0.8 pp/mo sustained growth, exceeding the post-intervention trend observed across all other states (23.5% to 30.3%; 0.5 pp/mo). Overall, although pre-intervention BsAb utilization in FL was lower than all other states, FL demonstrated a 1.2 pp/month higher post-intervention utilization trend (p<0.001; Table). Post-intervention, FL community sites showed a 0.13 pp/mo higher BsAb utilization trend than academic sites, and the number of community sites administrating BsAb increased from 5 to 9, with no change among academic sites. Conclusions: This study suggests that the FLASCO-led, collaborative model increased BsAb utilization in FL community oncology sites and offers a framework for broader community adoption across other states. Parameter estimates from ITS model(s). FL (%) p-value Other US States (%) p-value Difference CITS:FL - Other US States (%) p-value Intercept (Apr 2023) 8.6 <.0001 7.7 <.0001 0.9 0.52 Monthly change pre-intervention 0.3 0.23 1.3 <.0001 -0.9 0.002 (Apr - Dec 2023) Immediate change post-intervention 7 0.01 0.2 0.87 6.8 0.01 (May 2024) Monthly change post-intervention 0.8 <.0001 0.5 <.0001 1.2 0.0003 (May 2024 – Sep 2025)