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4201 citation(s) found for "Chen, C".

Is There a Microbiological Basis for Increased Breast Cancer Risk in Women with High Mammographic Density?
Sample, Jack W., Redaelli, Matteo , Johnson, SH, Walther-Antonio, Marina, Hieken, Tina J. , Johnson, Stephen , Sample, Jack W. , Hieken, Tina J , Sample, Jack W , Johnson, Stephen , Chen, Jun , Hoskin, Tanya L.

Mayo Clinic

Applied Microbiology | March 3, 2026 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 39

10.3390/applmicrobiol6030039 Get It

(1) Background: Mammographic breast density (MBD) is a well-established predictor of breast cancer risk, yet the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain incompletely understood. MBD is characterized by alterations in breast stromal architecture, including increased collagen deposition and changes in immune cell composition. Given emerging evidence that the breast harbors a resident microbiome, we investigated whether the breast tissue microbiome correlates with MBD. (2) Methods: Adjacent normal breast tissue was collected under sterile conditions from 33 women undergoing surgery for benign or malignant breast disease. DNA was extracted and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). (3) Results: We observed a non-significant trend toward lower α-diversity in high-MBD samples compared to low-MBD samples, p = 0.13. β-Diversity analyses identified a modest association between MBD and microbial community composition (MiRKAT p = 0.049). A random forest-based model incorporating genus-level relative abundances improved prediction of MBD over clinical characteristics alone, identifying Corynebacterium (Actinobacteria) and other genera as key predictors. (4) Conclusions: Breast tissue microbial features vary with mammographic breast density, suggesting a potential association with density-associated breast cancer risk. These exploratory findings warrant validation in larger cohorts to better elucidate biological mechanisms and clinical relevance.
Short term intensified pembrolizumab and tivozanib for high-risk renal cell carcinoma: STRIKE! (Alliance A032201).
Burbano, Gabriela Perez , Tan, Alan W.C. , Berg, S., Emamekhoo, Hamid, Zhang, T., Chen, Ronald, Rosenberg, Jonathan E., Galsky, Matthew D. , George, Daniel J., McGregor, Bradley A. , Ballman, Karla V. , Tan, Alan, Gulati, Shuchi , Emamekhoo, Hamid , Robin, Tyler P. , Chen, Ronald C. , Rosenberg, Jonathan E , George, Daniel J.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.tps577 Get It

TPS577 Background: Pembrolizumab (pembro) for one year following resection of localized high risk clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in a phase 3 trial resulted in improvement in relapse-free survival and overall survival (Choueiri, NEJM 2024). However, 20% of patients still experienced a relapse within 2 years with no biomarker yet identified to predict who will respond to or needs adjuvant therapy. Addition of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) to immunotherapy (IO) is a standard of care in metastatic ccRCC, but to date no studies have addressed the addition of a TKI to IO in the adjuvant setting. Subsequently, phase 3 STRIKE! was developed to explore the benefit of 6 months of tivozanib (tivo) added to pembro vs pembro alone in the adjuvant setting for resected high risk ccRCC. Methods: Eligible patients have an ECOG performance status ≤2 and a histologically confirmed diagnosis of RCC with clear cell component with or without sarcomatoid features after complete resection of the primary tumor, with pathology revealing pT2 grade 4 disease or any grade ≥ T3 or TxN1. Patients are also eligible if they developed metastasis within a year after resection and then underwent resection, definitive radiation or ablation of solid, isolated, soft tissue metastases (excluding brain and bone lesions) with no evidence of active disease (M1NED). Patients will be randomized 1:1 to intravenous pembro for 48 weeks with or without the addition of tivo 1.34 mg by mouth daily D1-21 q28D for 6 months stratified by stage (T2T3 vs T4/N1 vs M1NED) . With no limit on dose holds or interruptions of tivo, dose reductions of tivo to 0.89 mg D1-21 q28D or tivo 0.89 mg every other day are allowed. No dose reductions of pembro are permitted. Following baseline imaging to confirm no disease, imaging is performed every 12 weeks for first year, every 16 weeks for second year, every 24 weeks for third year and then annually until 5 years after registration or progression. The primary endpoint will be disease-free survival (DFS) as assessed by investigator, with secondary endpoints being overall survival, safety and tolerability. The study will enroll 1040 patients to detect a minimum detectable hazard ratio of 0.67 (24-month DFS 84% in experimental arm) with 90% power. Quality of life analysis will compare global quality of life and fatigue between the two arms. Imaging and specimens will be banked for future research. The study opened to accrual in April 2025 and at this time 106 patients have enrolled. Clinical trial information: NCT06661720 .
Interim safety and tolerability of TARA-002 in patients with BCG-naïve and unresponsive high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in ADVANCED-2.
Tyson, Mark D. , Satkunasivam, Raj, Jayram, Gautam, Mazzarella, Brian C. , Doronina, Myroslava , Kramolowsky, Eugene V., Zummo, Jacqueline , Beckham, Carla, Belani, Khushboo, DiFiglia, Andrea, Middleton, Claire, Brown, Eppie, Desch, Brian, Lam, Chen Quin, Shore, Neal D., Clinton, Timothy Nguyen , Lyon, Timothy D. , Satkunasivam, Raj , Sankin, Alexander , Shore, Neal D.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: 776-776

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.776 Get It

776 Background: There continues to be a significant unmet need for safe, effective, and bladder sparing treatment options for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). TARA-002 is a lyophilized biological preparation for intravesical instillation containing inactivated cells of Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A, type 3) Su strain. TARA-002 rapidly enters cancer cells, activating TLR2 and NOD2 to trigger innate immunity, inflammation, and potential immunogenic cell death. ADVANCED-2 (NCT05951179) is an ongoing Phase 2, open-label study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravesical TARA-002 in adults ≥ 18 years with high-grade (HG)-NMIBC CIS (± Ta/T1). Preliminary results showed promising complete response (CR) rates and durable responses in patients with HG NMIBC treated with TARA-002 (Jayram et al. AUA 2025). This abstract presents pooled safety data of TARA-002 from the BCG-naïve cohort and BCG-unresponsive cohort of the ADVANCED-2 study. Methods: The ADVANCED-2 study includes 2 cohorts of BCG-naïve (Cohort A) and BCG-unresponsive (Cohort B) participants. Key exclusion criteria include penicillin allergy; history of ≥ T2 bladder cancer, nodal, or metastatic disease; and concomitant prostatic or upper tract urothelial involvement. Each participant is treated with TARA-002 to receive induction (6 weekly doses), reinduction (if persistent disease at 3 months), and maintenance (through 24 months). Response is assessed every 3 months for 2 years. Long-term follow-up is conducted up to 60 months. Safety is monitored throughout the study. Results: As of 07-October-2025, 60 participants (median age: 74; range: 45 to 92), have been enrolled and exposed to TARA-002: 31 BCG-naïve (Cohort A) and 29 BCG-unresponsive (Cohort B). In both cohorts, 18/60 (30.0 %) participants reported drug-related treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Related TEAEs were Grade 1 (18/60; 30.0%) and Grade 2 (3/60; 5.0%), with no reported Grade 3-5 related TEAEs. Commonly reported related TEAEs (≥ 5%) included bladder spasm (10.0%), dysuria (13.3%), fatigue (6.7%), and micturition urgency (6.7%). Most TEAEs were mild and transient. In both cohorts, 10/60 (16.7%) experienced serious AEs (SAEs); 4/60 (6.7%) were Grade 2 and 9/60 (15.0%) were Grade 3. No participants experienced drug-related SAEs or drug-related TEAEs leading to withdrawal or death. Conclusions: TARA-002 monotherapy was well tolerated, thus demonstrating a favorable tolerability profile to date for the treatment of BCG-naïve and BCG-unresponsive HG NMIBC with CIS (±Ta/T1). TARA-002 has a promising safety profile as a bladder-sparing treatment in HG NMIBC across BCG exposure status. Updated safety data will be provided based on evaluable time points at the time of the presentation. Clinical trial information: NCT05951179 .
ASPIRE: A randomized phase III trial of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plus apalutamide (A) with or without docetaxel (D) in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) stratified by tumor suppressor gene alterations (Alliance A032302).
Kilari, Deepak, Ballman, K., Gelmann, Edward P. , Zarrabi, Kevin , Baghaie, Shiva, Sumey, Christopher , Nguyen, Paul, Montgomery, R Bruce, Berg, S., Tan, Alan W.C. , Jacene, H., Chen, Ronald C., Beltran, Himisha, Morris, Michael J., Galsky, Matthew D. , Rosenberg, Jonathan E., McKay, Rana R., Kilari, Deepak , Hillman, David W. , Bryce, Alan H. , Rose, Brent Shane , Tan, Alan, Jacene, Heather A. , Chen, Ronald C., Morris, Michael J. , Rosenberg, Jonathan E , McKay, Rana R.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.tps290 Get It

TPS290 Background: Landmark randomized trials established the survival benefit of adding D to ADT in mCSPC. Building on this foundation, subsequent trials (PEACE-1 and ARASENS) demonstrated further survival improvements when androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPI) were added to the ADT + D backbone. However, the independent contribution of D within the triplet regimen remains unclear given lack of prospective evaluation. Additionally, tumor suppressor gene (TSG) alterations involving TP53, PTEN, and RB1 are frequently observed in PC and are associated with aggressive biology and poor outcomes, providing an opportunity to enhance prognostic accuracy and optimize selection of candidates for treatment intensification. We hypothesize that adding D to ADT plus A will improve survival compared to ADT + A in mCSPC and stratification by TSG status may identify different treatment effects across molecular subgroups. Methods: ASPIRE is an open-label, two-arm, randomized phase 3 study to assess the benefit of D added to ADT plus A for patients with mCSPC. Eligible patients include those with confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate with evidence of distant metastatic disease on conventional imaging and are appropriate to receive D. Patients with metachronous low-volume disease or PSMA-PET only disease are excluded. Candidates must have next-generation sequencing (NGS) results from a CLIA-certified tissue test available for TSG status stratification at registration. Eligible patients will receive ADT plus A (240 mg PO daily) +/- D for up to 6 cycles until progression of disease by PCWG3/RECIST version 1.1 criteria. Prior therapy with ADT (with or without ARPI) initiated within 120 days before registration is permitted. The primary endpoint is overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints include OS by TSG status; radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS); time to castration resistance; symptomatic skeletal event–free survival; time to worsening of disease-related symptoms (NCCN-FACT FPSI-17); safety and tolerability (CTCAE v5.0); PSA90 response at 6 weeks and 6 months; time to PSA progression; and objective response rate in patients with measurable disease. The study will enroll 1200 patients and is currently actively accruing patients. Clinical trial information: NCT06931340 .
Precision diagnostics in prostate cancer treatment (PREDICT): A phase 2 multi-arm biomarker-based study (Alliance A032102).
Chen, Yu-Wei , Zhao, Shuang G. , Shah, Dhaval, Tan, Alan, Berg, S., Morris, Michael J., Galsky, Matthew D. , Rosenberg, Jonathan E., Beltran, Himisha, McKay, Rana R., Bobek, Olivia , Heller, Glenn , Zhao, Shuang G , Wulff, Elizabeth, Morris, Michael J. , Rosenberg, Jonathan E , McKay, Rana R.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.tps277 Get It

TPS277 Background: Recent advances in genomic sequencing have deepened our understanding of the molecular complexity of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), revealing multiple actionable alterations that now inform biomarker-driven treatment strategies. Accordingly, germline and somatic tumor profiling is recommended for all patients with mCRPC. Beyond DNA aberrations, gene expression profiling can uncover additional therapeutic targets and pathway activations. The phase 2 PREDICT trial is leveraging both DNA and RNA alterations to guide rationally designed, biomarker-based therapeutic approaches for patients with mCRPC. Methods: This multi-center, multi-arm, biomarker-driven phase 2 umbrella trial is evaluating rationally selected therapies for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The primary endpoint is objective response rate in patients with measurable disease, with secondary endpoints including radiographic progression-free survival, PSA response, time to first symptomatic skeletal event, overall survival, safety, and correlative biomarker analyses. Eligible patients must have progressive mCRPC of any histology, prior treatment with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI), and either prior or declined taxane chemotherapy, with both measurable and non-measurable disease permitted. Enrollment requires standard-of-care next-generation DNA sequencing from tissue or circulating tumor DNA performed in a CLIA-certified laboratory, and RNA-based allocation will use the CLIA-certified Caris MI Tumor Seek assay (whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing) on tissue obtained within 12 months of study entry, with a real-time molecular tumor board reviewing results to confirm arm assignment. Patients with RB1 loss (DNA), an RB functional loss signature (RNA), or an NEPC signature (RNA) will receive the EZH1/2 inhibitor valemetostat; those with ≥2 of 3 tumor suppressor gene alterations (TP53, RB1, PTEN), FANC alterations (DNA), or SLFN11 overexpression (RNA) will receive cabazitaxel plus carboplatin; and those without study-defined alterations will receive physician’s choice of cabazitaxel, ARPI, or 177Lu-PSMA-617. The design permits incorporation of additional biomarker-defined arms, and up to 158 patients per arm (64 with measurable and 94 with non-measurable disease) will be accrued under a Simon two-stage minimax design, providing a one-sided type I error of 0.05 if the true response rate is 0.20 and 90% power if the response rate is 0.37 (Clinical trial information: NCT06632977). Clinical trial information: NCT06632977 .
Integrating circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and TP53 alteration variant allele frequency (VAF) to predict outcomes in advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC) treated with enfortumab vedotin (EV).
Kumar, Hamsa L.S., Wu, Chen‐Han Wilfred , Kyasaram, Ravi Kumar , Sheng, Iris Yeong- Fung , Mendiratta, Prateek, GARCIA, J, Barata, Pedro C., Rao, Santosh, Grier, Abby , Jang, Albert , García, Jorge A. , Barata, Pedro C. , Brown, Jason R.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: 815-815

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.815 Get It

815 Background: EV, alone or combined with pembrolizumab (EVP), is a standard of care for patients (pts) with aUC. Markers predictive of early or durable treatment response in aUC remain limited. Here, we investigate serial ctDNA monitoring and TP53 VAF as complementary predictors of early EV/EVP response. Methods: This single-institution IRB-approved study included pts with aUC treated with EV/EVP between 1/2021 and 9/2025. Pt demographics, clinicopathologic features, serial Signatera ctDNA results, and somatic tissue next-generation sequencing (NGS) data were abstracted from medical records. Primary refractory disease (PRD) was defined as progressive disease on first restaging scan or earlier clinical progression resulting in death from disease. PRD and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed using Fisher’s exact and log-rank tests. Results: Out of 158 pts, 67 pts were included in study cohort. Median follow-up was 13.2 months, with 52% of pts alive at time of data cutoff. Clinical characteristics at EV start include median age 69 years (range 41-99), 78% male, 91% white, 15% variant-predominant histologic subtype, 15% upper tract disease, 43% with visceral metastasis (24 lung, 7 liver), 66% frontline treatment (42 EVP, 2 EV), and 34% refractory setting (6 EVP, 17 EV). At first restaging scan, observed response rate was 50%; 23% had PRD. TP53 alterations on NGS were identified in 39 pts (58%); TP53 VAF was available for 36 pts (92%), with median VAF 50.7% (range 8-82%). While TP53 mutation presence did not significantly associate with PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28, 95% CI 0.68-2.42; log-rank p = 0.45), pts with TP53 VAF ≥ 50% had significantly longer PFS compared with TP53 VAF < 50% (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.18-1.04; log-rank p = 0.03). PRD was more commonly observed with TP53 VAF < 50% than with TP53 VAF ≥ 50% (odds ratio [OR] 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.48, p = 0.01). 23 pts (21 EVP, 2 EV) had ≥ 2 serial ctDNA draws ≤ 120 days apart, including baseline draw within 2 months of EV start. Median time between 1 st and 2 nd ctDNA draws was 43 days. 70% (16 pts) had ≥ 90% ctDNA decline and 17% (4 pts) had ctDNA rise. The 2 pts with PRD exhibited ctDNA rise, whereas no pts with ctDNA decline had PRD (p = 0.04). 10 of these pts (43%) had TP53 mutations with available VAF. Of those 5 pts with TP53 VAF ≥ 50%, 3 had ctDNA clearance over 90%, 1 had 0-90% ctDNA clearance, and 1 had ctDNA rise. Of those 5 pts with TP53 VAF < 50%, 2 had ctDNA clearance over 90%, 1 had 0-90% ctDNA clearance, and 2 had ctDNA rise. Conclusions: Integrated serial ctDNA monitoring and tumor TP53 VAF may capture early treatment sensitivity to EV/EVP. Limitations include retrospective analysis, small sample size/power, combined EV/EVP cohort, and lack of centralized imaging review. Further validation in large, prospective cohorts is warranted.
ADVANCED-2: Interim efficacy and safety data in BCG-unresponsive participants with high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
Satkunasivam, Raj, Tyson, Mark D. , Jayram, Gautam, Mazzarella, Brian C. , Kramolowsky, Eugene V., Zummo, Jacqueline , Beckham, Carla, Belani, Khushboo, DiFiglia, Andrea, Middleton, Claire, Brown, Eppie, Desch, Brian, Lam, Chen Quin, Shore, Neal D., Satkunasivam, Raj , Lyon, Timothy D. , Sankin, Alexander , Clinton, Timothy Nguyen , Shore, Neal D.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: 743-743

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.743 Get It

743 Background: Although patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) have several emerging therapeutic options, there remains a clinical unmet need to improve efficacy, durability of response, and tolerability while obviating the need for radical cystectomy. TARA-002 is a lyophilized biological preparation for intravesical instillation containing inactivated cells of Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A, type 3) Su strain. TARA-002 rapidly enters cancer cells, activating TLR2 and NOD2 to trigger the innate immune response, inflammation, and potential immunogenic cell death. Herein we present interim safety and efficacy data of TARA-002 from the BCG-unresponsive cohort of the ongoing ADVANCED-2 study (NCT05951179). Methods: ADVANCED-2 (Cohort B) is a Phase 2, open-label study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravesical TARA-002 in BCG-unresponsive adults ≥ 18 years with high-grade NMIBC CIS (± Ta/T1). Key exclusion criteria include penicillin allergy; history of ≥ T2 bladder cancer, nodal, or metastatic disease; or concomitant prostatic or upper tract urothelial involvement. TARA-002 is delivered intravesically for 2 hours and includes induction (6 weekly doses), reinduction (if persistent disease at 3 months), and maintenance (through 24 months). Response is assessed every 3 months for 2 years. Biopsy is mandated at Month 3. Long-term follow-up is conducted up to 60 months. Safety is monitored throughout the study. The primary endpoint is complete response (CR) at any time defined by the absence of any high-grade recurrence. The key secondary endpoint is duration of response. Results: As of 07-October-2025, 32 BCG-unresponsive participants have been enrolled. Majority of participants were White (84.4%, 27 of 32), non-Hispanic (93.8%, 30 of 32), and male (68.8%, 22 of 32). The median age was 74 years (range: 47 to 92). The majority of participants had a baseline diagnosis of CIS only ie, without concomitant Ta/T1 (75.0%, 24 of 32). TARA-002 demonstrated a 68.4% (13 of 19) CR at any time in evaluable participants. The 6-month CR was 75.0% (9 of 12), the 9-month CR was 50.0% (4 of 8), and the 12-month CR was 37.5% (3 of 8). The salvage rate was 75.0% (6 of 8) with reinduction therapy. Most treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were mild (CTCAE Grades 1-2) and transient; no participants experienced higher than Grade 3 TEAEs. No participants experienced drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs) or drug-related TEAEs leading to withdrawal or death. Conclusions: In participants with BCG-unresponsive high-risk NMIBC with CIS ± Ta/T1, TARA-002 appears to be well tolerated and demonstrated encouraging efficacy, supporting ongoing accrual of the ADVANCED-2 study. Further follow-up will inform durability of response, and data will be updated based on evaluable time points at the time of the presentation. Clinical trial information: NCT05951179 .
Effect of upfront dose reductions on efficacy of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab (EVP) in advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC): A UNITE analysis.
Zhong, Jeffrey Yinhong, Thomas, Zachariah, Oh, Eugene , Casas, Salvador, Tripathi, Abhishek, Grivas, Petros, Campbell, Matthew T., Reimers, Melissa A. , Chen, Zhengyi , Fu, Pingfu, Koshkin, Vadim S. , Zhong, Jeffrey Yinhong , Jang, Albert , Jindal, Tanya , Jiang, Cindy Y. , Nguyen, Charles B. , Bakaloudi, Dimitra Rafailia , Casas, Salvador, Tripathi, Abhishek , Grivas, Petros , Tsung, Irene , Campbell, Matthew T. , Alhalabi, Omar , Khaki, Ali Raza , Brown, Jason R.

Mayo Clinic

Journal of Clinical Oncology | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 7_suppl | Pages: 696-696

10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.696 Get It

696 Background: EVP is the preferred 1st-line therapy for patients (pts) with aUC. Upfront EV dose reductions may be utilized to enhance tolerance and minimize treatment-related toxicities when intolerance is anticipated. Prior studies of EV monotherapy suggest that starting dose 1.25 mg/kg resulted in exposure that maximized chance of response. We hypothesize that upfront EV dose reductions would not compromise EVP efficacy. Methods: Pts with aUC treated with EVP in the multi-site UNITE database were analyzed. Upfront dose reduction was defined as starting dose < 1.25 mg/kg. Correlation between clinical features and EV dose reduction were assessed using Fisher’s Exact test. Endpoints include progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) from EVP initiation, assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox models. Multivariable Cox analysis (MVA) included age (< 75 vs ≥ 75), ECOG performance status (PS) (0-1 vs 2-3), hemoglobin level (< 10 vs ≥ 10), and liver metastases (present vs absent), chosen in accordance with Bellmunt criteria. Correlation with investigator-assessed observed response rate (ORR) was determined using logistic regressions. All tests were 2-sided with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: A total of 456 pts across 17 sites were included (median age 72; 77% Caucasian; 75% male; 26% upper tract primary; 66% pure UC; 77% ECOG PS 0-1; 17% with liver metastasis; 89% 1 st line EVP). Upfront dose reduction occurred in 96 pts (21%); 76 pts (79%) started at 1.0 mg/kg and 20 pts (21%) at 0.75 mg/kg. Upfront dose reduction was significantly associated with age ≥ 75 (p = 0.002), ECOG PS 2/3 (p = 0.04), and hemoglobin < 10 (p = 0.01) but not with liver metastasis (p = 0.9). Lower starting EV dose correlated with shorter median PFS (5 vs 6 months) and OS (9 vs 10 months), and lower ORR (28% vs. 60%) when compared to full dose (Table). In MVA adjusting for prognostic factors for PFS and OS, these associations were no longer statistically significant. Conclusions: In this real-world analysis, upfront EV dose reductions were most frequently used in pts with factors associated with frailty and poor prognosis, e.g. older age and ECOG PS 2/3, and were associated with lower ORR. When adjusted for these factors, upfront EV dose reductions were not associated with shorter PFS/OS though a trend towards inferior outcomes persisted. These differences in outcomes may reflect baseline risk factors rather than dose intensity; however, prospective investigation is required to validate our hypothesis-generating results. Association of upfront EV dose reduction with outcomes. Outcome (Upfront dose reduction vs no upfront dose reduction) Univariable analysis Multivariable analysis PFS: HR (95% CI), p 1.50 (1.11 – 2.02), 0.008 1.33 (0.95-1.86), 0.09 OS: HR (95% CI), p 1.56 (1.11-2.20), 0.01 1.41 (0.96-2.06), 0.08 ORR: OR (95% CI), p 0.35 (0.21-0.60), 0.0001 0.38 (0.21-0.67), 0.0009
Microbiome and Vocalization Biomarkers of Infant Distress, Maternal Depression and Parenting Styles
Ligezka, Anna, Lynch, Brian , Saliba, Maria , Corral-Frias, Martha, Johnson, S., Chen, Jun, Allen, Summer V. , Frank, Jennifer M., Voort, Jennifer L. Vande, Croarkin, Paul E. , Romanowicz, Magdalena , Lynch, Brian A , Vande Voort, Jennifer L , Croarkin, Paul E , Ligezka, Anna N. , Chen, Jun, Voort, Jennifer L. Vande

Mayo Clinic

Chronic Stress | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 10 | Issue: No issue available | Pages: No page available

10.1177/24705470261425120 | PMID 41782637 Get It

Introduction Psychiatric disorders have their genesis in early life. Standard screening approaches during well child visits for pathological infant distress, maternal depression, and dysfunctional parenting behaviors are likely inadequate. Microbiome measures and infant vocalizations have promise as scalable psychiatric biomarkers for infants. The purpose of this study was to examine associations among infant gut colonization based on microbiome measurements with maternal distress and maternal depressive symptoms in a sample of infants. Methods This study sought to examine infant microbiome correlates of infant distress, parent-infant interactions, maternal distress, and maternal depressive symptoms. We collected ( N = 31) microbiome samples, infant vocalizations during vaccination, and behavioral measures during a 4 month well child visit (WCV) and did a battery of clinical assessments to assess for maternal depression, parent-child interactions, family characteristics and family stress. Whole-genome SHOTGUN sequencing was utilized to identify three types of associations: alpha-diversity using Shannon and Inverse-Simpson indexes, beta-diversity using Bray-Curtis and Jaccard distances, and differential abundance using LinDA. Spectral measures of infant cries were also modeled to assess potential relationships with clinical assessments and the microbiome. Results There were 19 phyla, 417 genera, and 1246 species identified with taxonomic classification. Maternal distress as measured by PHQ-9 scores obtained when infants were 2 months old were associated with 4 bacterial species ( Actinomyces johnsonii, Bilophila wadsworthia, Clostridium dakarense and Ruminococcus flavefaciens ; FDR < 0.1) and beta-diversity ( p = 0.006-BC; p = 0.005-Jaccard). Infant cries with greater high frequency band power ( p < 0.03) and a greater high-to-mid frequency ratio–metrics ( p < 0.05) were associated with altered α-diversity of the microbiome. No correlations were present between maternal PHQ-9 at 4 months, PSI-IV and microbiome diversity. Conclusion The present findings suggest that an infant stress (assessed by quality of crying) is associated with lower microbiome diversity. Decreased diversity reflects an unhealthy microbiome. Parental depressive symptoms may also influence infant microbiome. Future interventional studies focused on the quality of the infant-caregiver relationship should examine related changes in intestinal microbiota.
Recurrent Stroke in Patients With Cryptogenic Stroke and Left Ventricular Injury: The Cardiac Abnormalities in Stroke Prevention and Recurrence (CASPR) Study
Sharma, Richa, McNamara, Katelyn F. , Goicoechea, Elena Badillo, Bowman, Anna , Coevering, Russell J. Van , Chen, Lucia , Penckofer, Mary, Singh, Eesha , Kerrigan, Deborah, Nahab, Fadi, Glover, Patrick , Krishnaiah, Balaji , Yaghi, Shadi, Khasiyev, Farid, Lineback, Christina, Melkumova, Emiliya , Nguyen, Thanh N., Thompson, Sean, Daniel, Jean-Philippe Auguste, Aziz, Yasmin, Alvi, Muhammad , Herpich, Franziska , Shahrivari, Mahan, Chionatos, Rafail , Elangovan, Cheran, Kang, Jieun, Zha, Alicia , Farooqui, Mudassir, Rothstein, Aaron, Khan, Farhan, Smith, Matthew , Brown, Samantha, Qdais, Ahmad Abu, Liebeskind, David S., Abburi, Nandini , Rozental, Stefano, Nedelcu, Simona , Thon, Jesse M., Stretz, Christoph, Thottempudi, Neeharika, Yu, Wenzheng, Eklund, Kelsey , Linares, Guillermo, Havenon, Adam de, Siegler, James E., Liebeskind, David S. , Sharma, Richa , Brown, Samantha , Lineback, Christina , Penckofer, Mary , Kerrigan, Deborah , Badillo‐Goicoechea, Elena , Sharma, Richa , Goicoechea, Elena Badillo , Van Coevering, Russell J , Penckofer, Mary , Kerrigan, Deborah , Aboul-Nour, Hassan , Nahab, Fadi B , Krishnaiah, Balaji , Yaghi, Shadi , Khasiyev, Farid , Lineback, Christina M , Melkumova, Emiliya , Culbertson, Collin J , Nguyen, Thanh N , Jillella, Dinesh V , Aziz, Yasmin , Herpich, Franziska , Chionatos, Rafail A , Elangovan, Cheran , Zha, Alicia , Farooqui, Mudassir , Rothstein, Aaron , Khan, Farhan , Smith, Matthew M , Brown, Samantha J , Abu Qdais, Ahmad , Liebeskind, David S. , Abburi, Nandini , Nedelcu, Simona , Thon, Jesse , Stretz, Christoph , Eklund, Kelsey , Linares, Guillermo , de Havenon, Adam H , Siegler, James E , Daniel, Jean-Philippe Auguste , Nour, Hassan Aboul , Yaghi, Shadi , Nguyen, Thanh N. , Jillella, Dinesh , Aziz, Yasmin , Elangovan, Cheran , Rothstein, Aaron , Khan, Farhan , Rozental, Stefano Freitas Andrade, Thon, Jesse , Stretz, Christoph , Thottempudi, Neeharika , Yu, Wenzheng, Linares, Guillermo , Havenon, Adam de , Siegler, James E.

Mayo Clinic

Stroke | March 2, 2026 | Volume: 57 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 1175-1186

10.1161/strokeaha.125.053755 | PMID 41766531 Get It

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is a potential cardioembolic source of ischemic stroke, but its role in recurrent stroke risk and treatment response remains unclear. We explore whether LV injury associates with the risk of recurrent stroke and modifies the association between anticoagulation and stroke recurrence using real-world data. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective study of Cardiac Abnormalities in Stroke Prevention and Recurrence cohort across 27 US sites. Patients with LV ejection fraction ≥20% were included. LV injury, defined as LV ejection fraction 20% to 40% and wall motion abnormality, was the primary exposure and treatment effect modifier. The treatment of interest was anticoagulant versus antiplatelet therapy. The composite outcome included recurrent stroke, major bleeding, or death. Outcomes were evaluated using unadjusted and inverse probability weighting adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, with treatment effect modification tested by LV injury status. RESULTS: Among 2685 patients enrolled, 2328 with complete data were analyzed (median age, 65 years; 49.8% female; median follow-up, 1.6 years). LV injury was present in 310 patients (13.3%). Overall, 535 events occurred: 258 recurrent ischemic strokes, 28 hemorrhagic strokes, 67 major hemorrhages, and 256 deaths. LV injury was associated with a higher unadjusted risk of the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 1.51 [95% CI, 1.21–1.87]), though nonsignificant after inverse probability weighting adjustment (adjusted HR, 1.29 [95% CI, 0.97–1.70]). In the LV injury subgroup, anticoagulation versus antiplatelet therapy was associated with a lower risk of the primary outcome (adjusted HR, 0.24 [95% CI, 0.10–0.59]), relative to the non-LV injury subgroup (adjusted HR, 1.28 [95% CI, 0.83–1.95]; p[LV-interaction], 0.001). Similar interactions were seen for EF 20% to 40% (versus >40%; adjusted HR, 0.19 [95% CI, 0.04–0.86]; p[LV-interaction], 0.001) and wall motion abnormality (versus no wall motion abnormality; adjusted HR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.15–0.73]). CONCLUSIONS: After cryptogenic stroke, anticoagulation in those with LV injury was associated with lower rates of recurrent stroke, major bleeding, and death. These findings warrant confirmation in a dedicated randomized controlled trial. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT06398366.