Citations

Abstract Motor speech disorders (MSDs) are early markers of neurological disease, but expert perceptual analysis is rarely available outside specialized centers. Automated speech analysis offers a scalable alternative, yet prior studies have not systematically compared modeling approaches or assessed clinically relevant metrics in independent datasets. This study compared static acoustic features, articulatory informed Phonet features, and self-supervised pretrained models for binary and multi label MSD classification. We trained and evaluated models on 583 speech samples using speaker level splits. Baseline models included logistic regression and Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs) trained on eGeMAPS and MFCCs. We extracted three types of Phonet derived features and evaluated pretrained HuBERT and SSAST models in frozen, partially fine-tuned, and fully fine-tuned configurations. Binary classification distinguished MSDs from controls, while multi label classification identified six MSD subtypes. Models were assessed using validation AUC, and cut points were tested on two independent datasets. Pretrained and Phonet based models substantially outperformed static acoustic features. In binary classification, HuBERT achieved the highest AUC (0.95), while compact Phonet derived GRUs achieved comparable performance (up to 0.94). These models generalized well to independent datasets, maintaining high sensitivity (0.94) and specificity (0.97). In multi label classification, Phonet models achieved the highest macro average AUC (0.86), but threshold-based subtype performance declined on unseen data. Automated MSD detection is feasible and clinically promising. Binary classification generalized well, whereas multi label classification showed limited threshold stability across datasets.

Purpose of review Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is the extreme manifestation of acute renal dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis, resulting from systemic vasodilation and renal vasoconstriction, leading to a reduction in the glomerular filtration rate. Recent findings The diagnostic criteria redefined diagnostic criteria for HRS-AKI (Hepatorenal syndrome -Acute kidney injury) as our understanding of disease progression has improved. This understanding of the HRS disease process guides current management, with the combination of intravascular volume expansion and vasoconstrictor therapy being the cornerstone of treatment. In addition to treatment selection, timing of treatment initiation, duration, dosage, and monitoring during treatment are decisive factors in HRS outcomes. Pathogenesis of HRS-AKI may be different in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in comparison to decompensated cirrhosis. Unfortunately, outcomes remain poor with medical therapies alone and a high risk of disease recurrence exists for HRS-AKI with persistence of the cirrhotic milieu. Liver transplantation remains the only definitive treatment of HRS-AKI. Given the critical nature of HRS-AKI, a multidisciplinary approach involving hepatologists, nephrologists, and intensive care physicians is essential for optimal clinical management. Summary Patients with HRS-AKI should be managed ideally in tertiary care centers and referred for liver transplantation promptly when eligible.

Abstract Background: Early-onset pancreatic cancer (EOPC; age <50 y at diagnosis) is rare (≈1.3/100,000), biologically distinct, and germline-enriched (BRCA1/2, PALB2, ATM, CDKN2A, Lynch). Despite NCCN and CAPS Consortium recognition, its pre-diagnostic electronic health record (EHR) trajectory is uncharacterized. We sought reproducible signatures to guide subtype-aware surveillance for this under-screened young-adult population, where conventional guidelines do not apply. Methods: We assembled an EOPC cohort from Mayo Clinic (3 sites, 2001–2023; n=169 EOPC, n=3,162 older-onset PDAC), identified by ICD-10 C25.0–C25.3, C25.7, C25.9 or ICD-9 157.x with age <50 at first diagnosis. For each patient, 3-year pre-diagnostic trajectories of 10 routine laboratory analytes (bilirubin, CA 19-9, CEA, lipase, amylase, glucose, HbA1c, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase) were summarized over 30/90/180/365-day windows (mean, slope, delta; 1,706 features total; 131 retained at ≥10% non-zero). Features were winsorized (1–99 pct), standardized, and projected onto 15 PCA components capturing 81.7% variance. K-means clustering (k=2–6, min cluster fraction ≥10%) was assessed by silhouette and 100-resample bootstrap Adjusted Rand Index (ARI). Cluster signatures were compared against the older-onset PDAC cohort projected into the same component space. Results: Two reproducible pre-diagnostic clusters emerged (k=2; silhouette 0.469; bootstrap ARI 0.440). Cluster A: "occult prodrome" (87.0%; n=147; mean age 44.9 y) showed no clear signal across the 10 monitored analytes, with all analyte z-scores near zero through the 3-year window. Cluster B: "metabolic-biliary active" (13.0%; n=22; mean age 44.4 y) was characterized by elevated mean HbA1c (z=+1.08), rising bilirubin slope (z=+0.54), and rising ALT/alkaline phosphatase slopes (z=+0.51 each), consistent with combined diabetic-onset and biliary-obstructive prodrome. The two-cluster structure reproduced in older-onset Mayo PDAC at 87.3% / 12.7%, nearly identical to the EOPC distribution, indicating a fundamental pre-diagnostic dichotomy of pancreatic cancer rather than an age-specific phenomenon. The dominant occult phenotype across age strata indicates that lab-trajectory–anchored surveillance can only address the active minority and motivates complementary genetic-, demographic-, or imaging-anchored pathways for the occult majority. Conclusions: EOPC pre-diagnostic trajectories partition into a dominant occult prodrome (∼87%) without detectable signal in the 10 routine labs evaluated and a minority metabolic-biliary active prodrome (∼13%) with combined diabetic and obstructive features. The high occult prevalence motivates germline-guided active surveillance for genetically at-risk young adults rather than symptom-driven workup, anchoring next-generation surveillance trial designs in rare and hereditary pancreatic malignancies. External validation in independent institutional cohorts (Mayo Clinic Platform / MERCI, or comparable EHR networks) is the planned next step. Citation Format: Jianfu Li Li, Yingyun Yang, Wallace MIchael, Yan Bi. Pre-diagnostic clinical-trajectory signatures of early-onset pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Breaking Barriers in the Fight against Rare Cancers; 2026 Jul 18-20; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(14_Suppl):Abstract nr A046.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) and Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor (SLCT) are DICER1-related tumors for which novel therapies are urgently needed. A subset of Wilms tumors are also associated with germline or somatic variants in DICER1. Current therapies include cytotoxic chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, but there are limited options for patients with recurrent disease. Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) have emerged as promising therapies for several solid tumors. Aberrantly expressed cell surface proteins, including Preferentially Expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME), represent potential targets for immunotherapeutic treatments like CAR-T cell and antibody-based therapies in malignant cancers, including DICER1-associated tumors. METHODS: Individuals diagnosed with PPB, SLCT, and Wilms tumor who enrolled in the International PPB/DICER1 Registry, International OTST Registry, and/or UT Southwestern Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Biorepository were selected for analysis. We analyzed ten PPB samples (four PDX, six primary tumor), four SLCT samples (all primary tumor), and 54 Wilms tumor samples (4 PDX, 50 primary tumor). DICER1 hotspot variants were verified in all 14 PPB and SLCT samples, while none of the Wilms tumor samples we analyzed exhibited DICER1 hotspot variants. Mapped and normalized whole-transcriptome sequencing reads were used to examine expression of 73 targets of antibody- or cell-based therapies that are clinically approved or under clinical investigation on clinicaltrials.gov. Genes with a median expression exceeding 2.5 transcripts per million (TPM) were considered expressed in a given tumor type; this threshold was selected to be permissive in identifying potential targets for further evaluation. RESULTS: Of the 73 genes of interest, 21 targetable cell-surface genes met a median expression threshold of 2.5 TPM in at least one tumor type: 11 genes in PPB, 16 in SLCT, and 14 in Wilms. Seven genes (FN1, PRAME, MCAM, CD248, IL11RA, CD276 (B7-H3), and MRC2) were expressed at this level in all three tumor types. Additional genes were expressed above this level in only two of the tumor types; PDGFRA in PPB and SLCT; GPC2 and TYRO3 in SLCT and Wilms tumor; and CSPG4, ERBB2, FZD10 in PPB and Wilms tumor. Six genes were exclusively expressed in SLCT (AXL, GPNMB, PROM1, KDR, ITGA6, FGFR4), and two were unique to Wilms tumor (GPC1, ULBP3). Of these, PRAME was previously reported as frequently expressed in DICER1-associated tumors; little has been reported about the remaining potential targets. CONCLUSION: PPB, SLCT, and Wilms tumor express several potential immunotherapy targets by RNA-seq. Expression of these potential targets should be investigated by immunostaining in a wider panel of tumors. Further study on the potential for ADCs or CAR-T cell therapies to treat DICER1-related conditions is needed. Citation Format: Brenya McNally, BS, Paige H.R. Mallinger, MS, David Huntsman, MD, FRCPC, FCCMG, Yemin Wang, PhD, Joyce Zhang, PhD, Claudette R. Fraire, PhD, Peter J. Schoettler, MD, Kris Ann P. Schultz, MD, Kenneth S. Chen, MD. Identifying potential cell-surface targets for therapeutic treatment of DICER1-related cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Breaking Barriers in the Fight against Rare Cancers; 2026 Jul 18-20; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(14_Suppl):Abstract nr A018.

Abstract Background: Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) make up less than 5% of sarcomas. The Demicco model stratifies risk of metastasis based on age, tumor size, mitotic count, and necrosis. Patients (pts) with relapsed disease have limited options. We evaluated outcomes of systemic therapies (tx) to treat SFT. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of pts with intermediate-to-high risk SFT confirmed by soft tissue pathologists at a multi-site health system from 1999 – 2024. Demographics, tx, and pt outcomes were analyzed. Radiographic response was abstracted from documentation by treating provider. Results: Sixty pts had intermediate-to-high risk SFT, of which 21 pts received systemic tx. Of these, 12 were male, median age at diagnosis 62.8 years (41.0 – 82.7 yrs). Tumors originated from chest (11, 52.4%), abdomen (5, 23.8%), pelvis (4, 19.0%), and skull (1, 4.8%). All pts had surgery for primary tumor, median size 16.0 cm (7.8 – 43.0), and 14 (66.7%) had surgery at relapse. Eight pts (38.1%) had perioperative radiation therapy (RT); 12 (57.1%) had palliative RT. Five (23.8%) had ablation. Of the 21 pts, 2 (9.5%) had perioperative chemotherapy (chemo). Twenty pts (95.2%) received median 2 lines (1 – 6) of palliative systemic tx (1 pt did not pursue any). One pt had partial response on dacarbazine, otherwise best clinical response was stable disease (SD, 53.1% vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (VEGFi), 40% chemo) or disease progression (PD). Most pts received VEGFi: 11 pts had sunitinib (median 3.1 months, range 1.0 – 10.6 mo), 11 pts had pazopanib (4.1 mo, 0.1 – 38.7), and 10 pts had temozolomide/bevacizumab (5.6 mo, 1.0 – 15.8). VEGFi was dose reduced or held in 59.4% . Discontinuation due to toxicity occurred in 34.4% of pts treated with VEGFi vs 26.7% of pts treated with chemo. Five pts received liposomal doxorubicin (median 4.8 mo, range 3.5 – 11.3). Four pts had doxorubicin with dacarbazine, ifosfamide or olaratumab (2.8 mo, 0.7 – 8.5). Two pts received dacarbazine (1.9 and 9.6 mo, respectively), and 2 pts received gemcitabine/docetaxel (0.9 and 4 mo). Eribulin and trabectedin (1 pt, respectively) were used for less than 1 mo. Tx was held or dose reduced for 1 pt on doxorubicin/dacarbazine and 1 pt on gemcitabine/docetaxel. Three pts had immunotherapy (IO, 2 pts pembrolizumab, 1 pt nivolumab/ipilimumab) and stopped for PD (2 pts) or toxicity (1 pt) after 2 mo or less. Two pts participated in clinical trials. Median time from primary surgery to relapse was 2.0 yrs (0.0 – 12.3). Sixteen pts died (76.2%), 14 from SFT. Median time from relapse to death or last contact was 4.1 yrs (0.5 – 14.7). Median overall survival from diagnosis to death/last contact was 6.6 yrs (0.6 – 27.0). Conclusion: Perioperative chemo was rarely used to treat intermediate-to-high risk SFT. For relapse, VEGFi use was more common than chemo, with more pts achieving SD and receiving longer duration of tx. VEGFi had greater toxicity and subsequent discontinuation. No benefit was observed in few pts who received IO. Clinical trial participation was uncommon. Citation Format: Miranda Lin, Brittany Siontis, Steven Robinson, Scott Okuno, Thanh Ho. Systemic Therapy and Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate or High-Risk Solitary Fibrous Tumor [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Breaking Barriers in the Fight against Rare Cancers; 2026 Jul 18-20; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(14_Suppl):Abstract nr B054.

ABSTRACT Objective Weight loss is frequently considered a cardinal presenting symptom for patients with Zenker diverticulum (ZD). We hypothesized that weight loss in patients with cricopharyngeal muscle dysfunction (CPMD), with or without diverticula, was associated with the length of symptoms and size of diverticulum. Methods Prospective, multicenter observational study of CPMD patients with and without diverticula reporting unintentional weight loss (+WL) or no weight loss (−WL) prior to enrollment in the Prospective Outcomes of Cricopharyngeal Hypertonicity (POuCH) database. Complications and symptom response using a patient reported outcome measure, the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT‐10), were compared. Results Of 427 patients, 101 (23.6%) were +WL. Median weight loss was 14 pounds (interquartile range [IQR] 10–25). +WL cohort had a mean age of 71.5 (standard deviation [SD] 11.5) vs. 67.9 in −WL (SD 11.6, p = 0.007). Mean preoperative EAT‐10 score was 24.7 in +WL (SD 9.7) and 14.8 in −WL (SD 8.8, p < 0.0001). Higher preoperative weight loss was associated with higher preoperative EAT‐10 ( p < 0.0001, Spearman's ρ = 0.43). Size of diverticulum was associated with WL ( p = 0.003), but weight loss was highest in both large diverticula and CP bars. Duration of symptoms was not associated with weight loss ( p = 0.30). Postoperative complications in +WL and −WL patients were similar ( p = 0.78). Conclusion Unintentional weight loss is common with ZD. Patients with worse dysphagia are more likely to have more weight loss. Weight loss does not increase with the size of the diverticulum or length of symptoms. Surgery has a similar safety profile with greater improvement in dysphagia in patients reporting weight loss. Level of Evidence 3.

Abstract This article summarizes data for 13 investigational treatments for which at least preliminary seizure outcome data in patients with epilepsy were reported at the Eighteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices held in Madrid, Spain, on May 3–6, 2026. The treatments reviewed include bexicaserin, a selective 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT, serotonin) type 2C (5‐HT 2C ) receptor superagonist investigated as a treatment for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs); BMB‐101, a selective 5‐HT 2C receptor agonist investigated for the treatment of absence seizures and DEEs; elsunersen, an antisense oligonucleotide designed for the treatment of early‐onset SCN2A ‐DEE; EPX‐100 (clemizole hydrochloride), an antihistamine endowed with agonist activity at 5‐HT 2A and 5‐HT 2B receptors, repurposed as a treatment for DEEs; ES‐481, an antagonist of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors containing the transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein γ8 (TARP‐γ8), under investigation for the treatment of drug‐resistant epilepsy; ETX‐101, a gene therapy in development for the treatment of SCN1A ‐positive Dravet syndrome; PrevEp‐006 (intranasal seletracetam), a synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) ligand under investigation as an acute seizure rescue therapy; radiprodil, a negative allosteric modulator that binds to the GluN2B subunit of the N ‐methyl‐ D ‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor, in development for the treatment of seizures and other symptoms associated with GRIN‐related neurodevelopmental disorder, tuberous sclerosis complex, and focal cortical dysplasia type II; RAP‐219, a selective negative allosteric modulator of TARP‐γ8, in development for drug‐resistant focal epilepsy; relutrigine, a selective disease‐state sodium channel modulator investigated as a treatment for SCN2A ‐ and SCN8A ‐DEE; Staccato Alprazolam, a breath‐actuated device that delivers alprazolam to the lungs for rapid seizure termination; vormatrigine, a functionally selective sodium channel modulator in development for the treatment of focal seizures; and zorevunersen, an antisense oligonucleotide engineered to restore endogenous Nav1.1 protein expression, investigated for the treatment of Dravet syndrome. Overall, the evidence reviewed justifies expectations for improved health outcomes for the millions of children and adults with epilepsy who do not fully benefit from existing therapies.