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Abstract Introduction: Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) have transformed the treatment landscape for CLL, offering significant improvement in patient outcomes. Despite the widespread adoption of BTKis and their proven clinical benefits, data on the treatment preferences and priorities of patients with CLL in Asia, particularly in Japan, are limited. Understanding patient preference is critical for optimizing clinical decision-making and tailoring treatment strategies for Japanese patients. A comprehensive quantitative analysis was conducted to evaluate patient preferences for covalent BTKi treatment attributes and trade-offs among these attributes. Methods: An online survey applying discrete choice experiment (DCE) methodology was administered between April 29 and June 30, 2025 to Japanese adults (≥18 years of year) diagnosed with CLL. The design of DCE attributes and levels was informed by literature review and clinical consultations. Treatment attributes included efficacy (i.e., progression-free survival [PFS]), safety (i.e., impacts of diarrhea, headache, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension on quality of life [QoL]), and convenience (i.e., formulation type including tablet or capsule, and dosing frequency including once daily or twice daily). A conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate preference weights, which were used to calculate the relative importance as well as willingness-to-tradeoff between BTKi treatment attributes. Results: The study included 50 patients (mean age: 62 years; 30% female; 38% employed full-time; 60% reported no comorbid conditions). More than half (60%) were diagnosed ≥5 years ago. Around one quarter (24%) were treatment naive, and 76% received ≥1 treatment (40% first-line, 26% second-line and 10% third-line or later). Most patients (82%) reported living with or near their caregiver. In terms of travel time to obtain CLL medication, 46% reported travel time of one hour, 40% traveled less than 30 minutes, and 14% traveled more than two hours. The majority of patients (66%) were using High-Cost Medical Expense Benefit, while an additional 10% were either currently applying or planning to apply. In general, patients preferred treatments with less impact of AEs on QoL, higher efficacy, and less dosing frequency (P<.05). The top three treatment attributes with the highest relative importance were the impact of atrial fibrillation (24.7%) and diarrhea (21.0%) on QoL, and PFS (15.8%), followed by impact of headache (15.7%) and hypertension (14.1%) on QoL, dosing frequency (7.8%), and formulation type (capsule or tablet) (0.9%). Patients were willing to trade off PFS for improved quality of life: accepting reductions of 3.1 years for less impact from atrial fibrillation, 2.7 years for diarrhea, 2.0 years for headache, and 1.8 years for hypertension (none or mild vs. significant impact). Additionally, they were willing to accept a reduction of 1.0 years of PFS to receive a treatment given once daily rather than twice daily.Conclusions: This is the first quantitative assessment of treatment preferences among Japanese patients with CLL using a DCE approach. Findings from this study provide valuable Japan-specific insights, highlighting that although efficacy is important, patients prioritize safety factors, such as the impact of atrial fibrillation and diarrhea on QoL. These findings support the integration of patient perspectives into treatment planning to enhance shared decision-making, personalize care, and promote better adherence to long-term therapies in CLL management.

Abstract Background: Mosunetuzumab (Mosun) is an off-the-shelf, CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody that redirects T cells to eliminate B cells, including those that cause malignant disease. Mosun is FDA- and EMA-approved for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after ≥2 prior lines of therapy as a fixed-duration intravenous treatment, and can be given in an outpatient setting without mandatory hospitalization. Initial Phase I/II data with Mosun monotherapy have shown notable efficacy and manageable safety in patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; NCT03677154; Olszewski et al. ASH 2022). The Phase II MorningSun study is the first to assess the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SC) Mosun monotherapy in elderly/unfit patients with previously untreated DLBCL; we report an interim analysis for this study. Methods: MorningSun (NCT05207670) is an open-label, multicenter, Phase II, basket study evaluating the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of Mosun SC monotherapy in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In the DLBCL cohort, eligible patients aged ≥80 years or aged 65–79 and considered ineligible for chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) were enrolled, primarily in US community sites. Hospitalization was not mandatory. Step-up doses of Mosun SC were administered on Day (D) 1 (5mg), D8 (45mg) and D15 (45mg) of Cycle 1, followed by 45mg on D1 of 21-day cycles, for up to 17 cycles or until unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint in this cohort was progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 24 months after first study treatment. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) rate, time to response (TTR), duration of response (DOR), duration of complete response (DOCR), overall survival (OS), and safety. An exploratory circulating tumor DNA analysis was performed using an AOA-NHL assay. Results: Overall,49 patients were enrolled, the majority at community sites (community, n=34; academic, n=15). Thirty-six patients had DLBCL, 6 had high-grade [Gr] B-cell lymphoma, 2 had T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma, and 1 had Gr 3B FL (histology missing/other lymphoma, n=4). Median age was 82.5 years (range: 71–101); 63.3% and 20.4% of patients had an ECOG performance status of 1 and 2, respectively; 40.8% had Ann Arbor stage IV disease; 51.0% had extranodal involvement; 18.4% had bulky disease; and 53.1% had an IPI score of 3–5. At the clinical cut-off date of February 10, 2025, 23 (46.9%) patients had discontinued treatment, mainly due to progressive disease (n=12, 24.5%) or an adverse event (AE; n=5, 10.2%); the median duration of follow-up was 12.5 months (range: 1.4–30.8) and the median number of cycles received was 14 (range: 1–17). The PFS rate at 12 months was 68.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52.1–80.6) and OS rate at 12 months was 77.2% (95% CI: 61.1–87.3). The ORR and CR rates were 73.5% and 59.2%, respectively. Median TTR was 2.7 (range: 2.5–6.1) months. DOR and DOCR rates at 12 months were 84.6% (95% CI: 66.8–93.3) and 95.0% (95% CI: 69.5–99.3), respectively. The most common AE (any grade) was injection site reaction (n=25, 51.0%), which was mostly Gr 1 (n=24, 49.0%). Gr 3/4 AEs occurred in 65.3% (n=32) of patients, most commonly infections (16.3% [n=8]) and decreased neutrophil count (10.2% [n=5]); serious AEs occurred in 42.9% (n=21) of patients. Four patients experienced Gr 5 AEs (congestive cardiac failure, volvulus, unexplained death and intracranial hemorrhage, n=1 each); none were related to Mosun per investigator assessment. Infections occurred in 46.9% (n=23) of patients (Gr 1/2, 30.6% [n=15]; Gr 3, 16.3% [n=8]); no Gr 4/5 infections were observed. No immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome events occurred. Cytokine release syndrome was reported in 12.2% (n=6) of patients, with 10.2% (n=5) Gr 1 and 2.0% (n=1) Gr 2 events, all of which resolved. In evaluable patients with a CR (n=16), 68.8% (n=11) of patients were minimal residual disease negative (p-value cut-off 0.005).Conclusions: There remains an unmet need for effective chemotherapy-free options in previously untreated elderly and CIT-ineligible patients with DLBCL. Interim data from MorningSun demonstrate that fixed-duration Mosun SC monotherapy is active in these patients, with promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile, with predominantly mild-to-moderate AEs, allowing for outpatient administration in the community practice setting.

Abstract Background: There remains an opportunity for new therapies to improve long-term outcomes for patients with low-tumor burden follicular lymphoma (FL). Mosunetuzumab is an off-the-shelf CD20xCD3 bispecific antibody, approved as an intravenous therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory FL after ≥2 lines of systemic therapy. Mosunetuzumab can be administered in the outpatient setting as a fixed-duration regimen. In an open-label, multicenter, Phase II study conducted mainly across US community sites (MorningSun; NCT05207670), mosunetuzumab administered subcutaneously (SC) induced high response rates with a manageable safety profile in patients with previously untreated low-tumor burden FL (Burke et al. ASH 2024). Here we present updated efficacy and safety data for mosunetuzumab SC in patients with previously untreated, low-tumor burden FL. Methods: Patients had untreated Grade 1 or 2 low-tumor burden FL per Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes Folliculaires criteria, Ann Arbor stage III/IV disease, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0–2. Mosunetuzumab SC was administered with step-up dosing in Cycle 1 (Day [D]1, 5mg; D8, 45mg; D15, 45mg), then 45mg on D1 of each 21-day cycle. Hospitalization was not mandatory. Patients with a complete metabolic response after 8 cycles could complete therapy and patients with a partial metabolic response or stable disease continued treatment for up to 17 cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) at 24 months. Key secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), time to response (TTR), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DOR), duration of complete response (DOCR), and safety. Exploratory analyses assessed pharmacodynamic changes in B-cell subsets. Here, we report interim data. Results: As of February 10, 2025 (clinical cut-off date), 101 patients were enrolled from US community (n=56) and academic (n=45) centers; 52 patients had completed treatment, 21 had discontinued (mainly due to adverse events [AEs; n=6] and progressive disease [n=5]), and 28 were ongoing on treatment. Median age was 65 years (range: 34–82). Most patients had an ECOG PS of 0 (81.2%) or 1 (18.8%) and 43 patients (42.6%) had extranodal involvement. Median duration of follow-up was 13.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.5–16.9) and median number of cycles received was 10 (range: 3–17). The ORR was 98.0% (95% CI: 93.0–99.8) and the complete response rate was 89.1% (95% CI: 81.3–94.4). Median TTR was 2.8 months (range: 1.4–8.3). Landmark DOR and DOCR rates at 12 months were 91.8% (95% CI: 81.5–96.5) and 95.7% (95% CI: 82.6–99.0), respectively. The 12-month PFS and OS rates were 92.0% (95% CI: 83.8‒96.1) and 99.0% (95% CI: 93.2‒99.9), respectively. The most common AE was injection-site reaction (ISR, 81.2%; Grade 1, 74.3%; Grade 2, 5.9%; Grade 3, 1.0%). Grade 3/4 AEs were reported in 51.5% of patients; the most common (≥10%) events were cytopenias (36.6%) and infections (11.9%). Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) was reported in 48.5% of patients (Grade 1, 40.6%; Grade 2, 7.9%). Overall,infections occurred in 63.4% of patients (Grade 1, 7.9%; Grade 2, 42.6%; Grade 3, 11.9%; Grade 5, 1.0%) with the most common (≥10%) being upper respiratory tract infection (21.8%), COVID-19 (17.8%), sinusitis (13.9%), and pneumonia (11.9%). At the time of data cut-off, ISR, CRS, and infection AEs were resolved at rates of 98.2%, 100%, and 89.0%, respectively. Two patients had a Grade 5 AE (sepsis, n=1; unknown cause, n=1).No immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome events were reported. B-cell depletion was observed following the first dose of mosunetuzumab, with subsequent B-cell recovery observed within six months of treatment completion. Conclusions: Fixed-duration mosunetuzumab SC demonstrates high efficacy rates with deep and sustained responses in patients with previously untreated, low-tumor burden FL. The manageable safety profile supports ease of outpatient administration without mandatory hospitalization, including in community oncology practices. Additionally, exploratory analyses demonstrating B-cell recovery after treatment completion also substantiate the use of mosunetuzumab SC as a fixed-duration regimen. These data support further evaluation of mosunetuzumab SC in patients with previously untreated, low-tumor burden FL.

ABSTRACT Background Optimal management in patients presenting with persistent atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, and atrial as well as ventricular dyssynchrony with left bundle branch block is unclear. Results and Methods A 67‐year‐old female patient presented with persistent atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy with a newly reduced ejection fraction (EF), increased P wave duration on electrocardiogram (ECG) and left bundle branch block. After shared decision making, the patient elected to proceed with Bachman bundle/left bundle branch area pacing plus atrioventricular (AV) node ablation. At 6‐month follow‐up post procedure, a repeat echocardiogram showed normalized atrial size and EF (65%). Device interrogation demonstrated no recurrent atrial fibrillation with the patient off antiarrhythmic and heart failure medical therapy. Conclusions Integrated atrial and ventricular synchronization through Bachmann bundle and left bundle branch area pacing may help break the cycle of dyssynchrony, remodeling, and arrhythmia. In combination with AV node ablation, it may be considered as an alternative treatment option in certain cases after shared decision making.

Background/Objectives: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus interna (GPi) is a safe and established therapy for management of refractory motor fluctuations and dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the relationship between stimulation site connectivity and improvement of axial gait symptoms remains poorly understood, particularly when stimulating in the GPi. This study investigated functional and structural connectivity patterns specifically associated with axial symptom outcomes following bilateral GPi-DBS, and, as a secondary exploratory analysis, examined whether Volumes of tissue activated (VTAs)-based connectivity related to overall UPDRS-III change. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 19 PD patients who underwent bilateral GPi-DBS at the University of Florida (2002–2017). Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III) axial gait subscores were assessed at baseline and 36-month follow-up. VTAs were reconstructed using Lead-DBS and coregistered to Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space. Structural connectivity was evaluated with diffusion tractography, and functional connectivity was estimated using normative resting-state fMRI datasets. Correlations between VTA connectivity and clinical improvement were examined using Spearman correlation and voxelwise analyses. Results: Patients with axial improvement in motor scales demonstrated specific VTA connectivity to sensorimotor and supplementary motor networks, particularly lobule V and lobules I–IV of the cerebellum. These associations were specific to axial gait subscores. In contrast, worsening axial gait symptoms correlated with connectivity to cerebellar Crus II, cerebellum VIII, calcarine cortex, and thalamus (p < 0.05). Total UPDRS-III scores did not show a significant positive correlation with supplementary motor area or primary motor cortex connectivity; a non-significant trend was observed for VTA–M1 connectivity (R = 0.41, p = 0.078). Worsening total motor scores were associated with cerebellar Crus II and frontal–parietal networks. These findings suggest that distinct connectivity patterns underlie differential trajectories in axial and global motor outcomes following GPi-DBS. Conclusions: Distinct connectivity profiles might underlie axial gait symptom outcomes following GPi-DBS. Connectivity to motor and sensorimotor pathways supports improvement, whereas involvement of Crus II and occipital networks predicts worsening. Additional studies to confirm and expand on these findings are needed, but our results highlight the value of connectomic mapping for refining patient-specific targeting and developing future programming strategies.

ABSTRACT Background Transvenous lead removal (TLR) in patients with a history of mediastinal radiation poses unique challenges due to potential radiation‐induced fibrosis, vascular changes, and anatomical distortion, which may increase procedural complexity and complication risk. However, contemporary data on clinical outcomes in this population remain limited. Methods We analyzed the National Readmissions Database (2016–2021) to identify adults (≥ 18 years) undergoing TLR. Patients were stratified by prior mediastinal radiation. Baseline characteristics were compared using standard statistical tests. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between prior mediastinal radiation and in‐hospital outcomes, 30‐day mortality, and 30‐day readmissions after adjustment for demographics and comorbidities. Results A total of 48,985 patients underwent TLR, of whom 735 (1.5%) had a history of mediastinal radiation. Compared with patients without radiation, those with prior radiation were older (70.1 vs. 66.2 years, p < 0.01), were more frequently females (38.2% vs. 31.6%, p < 0.01), and had higher rates of valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and peripheral vascular disease. Adjusted analyses demonstrated no increased risk of in‐hospital mortality (2.3% vs. 3.4%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41–1.18, p = 0.29) or major complications, including cardiac arrest, pericardial complications, vascular injury, pulmonary complications, or embolic events. Similarly, (3.6% vs. 5.3%; aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.48–1.43, p = 0.35) and 30‐day all‐cause readmissions (8.7% vs. 9.1%; aOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.64–1.28, p = 0.70) were not significantly different between groups. Subgroup analyses by indication for TLR (infection vs. mechanical complication) revealed no differences in outcomes. Conclusion Despite theoretical concerns, prior mediastinal radiation was not associated with excess procedural risk or worse short‐term outcomes after TLR. These findings may inform procedural planning and risk counseling in clinical practice.

Importance Treatment for cognitive dysfunction due to postacute sequelae of long COVID (ie, symptoms of fatigue, malaise, weakness, confusion that persist beyond 12 weeks after an initial COVID infection) remains a significant unmet need. Objective To test evidence-based rehabilitation strategies for improving cognitive symptoms in persons with long COVID. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a 5-arm, multicenter, randomized clinical trial of 3 remotely delivered interventions conducted between August 17, 2023, and June 10, 2024. The study took place at 22 trial sites and included the screening of individuals with cognitive long COVID. Interventions Participants were randomized to 1 of 5 arms: adaptive computerized cognitive training (BrainHQ [Posit Science]), cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation involving both group and individual counseling sessions (PASC-Cognitive Recovery [PASC-CoRE]) paired with BrainHQ, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) paired with BrainHQ. Two comparator arms were included as follows: unstructured computer puzzles and games (active comparator) and sham tDCS paired with BrainHQ. The interventions occurred 5 times per week over 10 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive and behavioral in-person assessments were performed at baseline, midintervention, at the end of intervention, and 3 months after the end of the intervention. The primary outcome measure was the modified Everyday Cognition Scale 2 (ECog2) completed at the end of the intervention compared to the baseline visit based on participant self-report looking back over the prior 7 days. Results A total of 378 individuals were screened, from which there were 328 participants (median [IQR] age, 48.0 [37.0-58.0] years; 241 female [73.5%]; race: 15 Asian [4.6%], 47 Black [14.3%], and 235 White [71.6%]; ethnicity: 52 Hispanic [15.9%]). None of the 3 active interventions demonstrated benefits on the modified ECog2 in the intention-to-treat population by the end of the intervention period. The adjusted differences in mean change were 0.0 (95% CI, −0.2 to 0.2) for BrainHQ vs active comparator, 0.1 (95% CI, −0.1 to 0.3) for PASC-CoRE + BrainHQ vs active comparator, 0.0 (95% CI, −0.2 to 0.2) for tDCS-active + BrainHQ vs tDCS-sham + BrainHQ, and 0.1 (95% CI, −0.1 to 0.3) for PASC-CoRE + BrainHQ vs BrainHQ alone. Secondary participant-reported outcomes and neuropsychological tests showed no differential benefits for any treatment arm. All 5 arms demonstrated some improvements over time on the modified ECog2 and on secondary outcomes. There were no serious adverse events attributable to the interventions. Conclusions and Relevance This phase 2 randomized clinical trial failed to demonstrate differential benefits for online cognitive training, a structured cognitive rehabilitation program, and tDCS for cognitive long COVID. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05965739 .

The treatment landscape of invasive early-stage and metastatic breast cancer is evolving constantly. These NCCN Guidelines Insights focus on recent updates included in the most recent version (version 5.2025) of the NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer specific to workup, locoregional therapy, surveillance, and systemic neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy recommendations for invasive, nonmetastatic breast cancer.

Introduction: Valvular heart disease (VHD) poses a growing global burden, particularly in aging populations. While transcatheter interventions have expanded rapidly over the past two decades, the extent to which trial populations reflect real-world demographics—especially age and sex—is unclear. Understanding enrollment trends and representation gaps is essential to ensure equitable, generalizable evidence for clinical decision-making. Methods: We systematically reviewed VHD interventional trials (2000–2024) indexed in PubMed. Surgical and percutaneous trials across aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonic valves were included. Trial characteristics, demographics, and interventions were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics. Results: We included 487 trials enrolling 87,412 participants (45% women). Median trial size increased over time (z = 4.98, p < 0.01), and the mean age of participants also rose significantly (z = 10.08, p < 0.01). Trials involving percutaneous (11% to 45%), bioprosthetic (22% to 53%), aortic valve (27% to 62%), and multinational (2% to 16%) interventions increased over time. Older participants were more commonly enrolled in percutaneous, industry-funded, multinational, bioprosthetic, and aortic valve trials. Female representation remained unchanged across time (median 47%, z = -0.48, p = 0.63), but trials enrolling older participants tended to include more women (ρ = 0.196, p < 0.01). Female representation was highest in mitral (59%) and tricuspid (59%) valve trials, and more common in percutaneous (52%) than surgical (42%) interventions. Conclusion: Over the past two decades, VHD trials have expanded in size and geographic scope, with increased enrollment of older adults, particularly in percutaneous and industry-sponsored studies. However, sex disparities and demographic variability persist. Future trials should prioritize inclusive designs to ensure equitable, generalizable evidence for evolving valve interventions.