Cancer-related Data Research Articles

Parea: Multi-view ensemble clustering for cancer subtype discovery

Multi-view clustering methods are essential for the stratification of patients into sub-groups of similar molecular characteristics. In recent years, a wide range of methods have been developed for this purpose. However, due to the high diversity of cancer-related data, a single method may not perform sufficiently well in all cases. We present Parea, a multi-view hierarchical ensemble clustering approach for disease subtype discovery. We demonstrate its performance on several machine learning benchmark datasets. We apply and validate our methodology on real-world multi-view patient data, comprising seven types of cancer. Parea outperforms the current state-of-the-art on six out of seven analysed cancer types. We have integrated the Parea method into our Python package Pyrea (https://github.com/mdbloice/Pyrea), which enables the effortless and flexible design of ensemble workflows while incorporating a wide range of fusion and clustering algorithms.

Projection of morbidity and mortality due to breast cancer between 2020 and 2050 across 42 low- and middle-income countries

ObjectiveAim of the study is to predict trends in morbidity and mortality due to breast cancer in 42 LMICs between 2020 and 2050. Designand Setting: National level cross-sectional breast cancer related data between 1990 and 2019 were used. Recurrent Neural Network, Long-Short-Term Memory (RNN-LSTM) model was employed to forecast the trend in breast cancer burden. Main outcomes and measuresAge standardized breast cancer incidence, mortality, and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) rates. ResultsBy 2050, the age standardized breast cancer incidence rate is expected to increase in 38 LMICs with highest incidence rate in Namibia; 127.0 (78.0–176.0) followed by Nigeria 71.1 (53.9–88.3) and Papua New Guinea 70.6 (88.7–74.6). Similarly, the age standardized breast cancer mortality and DALYs rates in 2050 are expected to increase in 33 and 35 LMICs respectively. The highest mortality and DALYs rates in 2050 are expected to be 64.7 (42.6–86.7) in Namibia and 1543.6 (1463.1–1624.1) in Pakistan. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) is expected to increase uniformly in all the countries during the same period. Due to considerable variation in exposure risk, such as high plasma glucose level, high body mass index (BMI) and socio-demographic index (SDI), high regional disparity in burden of breast cancer is expected among the countries. Conclusionand Relevance: Breast cancer burden is expected to increase in most of the LMICs with high regional disparity by 2050. Our study's finding focuses on LMICs with high breast cancer burden that require tailored strategies and effective action plans to ensure prevention from catastrophic consequences in the future. Minimizing the exposure to behavioral and metabolic risk factors such as high plasma glucose, high BMI, along with tackling the issue of low fertility rate would be important in managing breast cancer burden in LMICs.

Ten interleukins and risk of prostate cancer.

Interleukins (ILs) have been reported to be related to prostate cancer. The aims of this study were to estimate the levels for several key interleukins in prostate cancer and the causal effects between them. We conducted a bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess the causal associations between ILs and prostate cancer. Genetic instruments and summary-level data for 10 ILs were obtained from three genome-wide association meta-analyses. Prostate cancer related data were obtained from the PRACTICAL (79,148 cases and 61,106 controls), UK Biobank (7,691 cases and 169,762 controls) and FinnGen consortium (10,414 cases and 124,994 controls), respectively. The odds ratio of prostate cancer was 0.92 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.89, 0.96; P=1.58×10-05) and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.07, 1.17; P=6.61×10-07) for one standard deviation increase in genetically predicted IL-1ra and IL-6 levels, respectively. Genetically predicted levels of IL-1ß, IL-2a, IL-6ra, IL-8, IL-16, IL-17, IL-18, and IL-27 were not associated with the risk of prostate cancer. Reverse MR analysis did not find the associations between genetic liability to prostate cancer and higher levels of IL-1ra (β, -0.005; 95% CI, -0.010, 0.001; P=0.111) and IL-6 (β, 0.002; 95% CI, -0.011, 0.014; P=0.755). This MR study suggests that long-term IL-6 may increase the risk of prostate cancer and IL-1ra may reduce it.

Hyperhydration of Cancers: A Characteristic Biophysical Trait Strongly Increasing O2, CO2, Glucose and Lactate Diffusivities, and Improving Thermophysical Properties of Solid Malignancies.

Cancers are complex, heterogeneous, dynamic and aggressive diseases exhibiting a series of characteristic biophysical traits which complement the original biological hallmarks of cancers favouring progressive growth, metastasis, and contributing to immune evasion and treatment resistance. One of the prevalent differences between most solid tumors and their corresponding, healthy tissues is a significantly higher water content (hyperhydration) in cancers. As a consequence, cancers have distinctly higher (Fick's) diffusion coefficients D [cm2s-1] for the respiratory gases O2 and CO2, the key substrate glucose, and for the oncometabolite lactate. In addition, cancers have (a) clearly increased specific heat capacities cp [Jg-1K-1], thus representing high-capacity-tissues upon therapeutic heating induced by electromagnetic irradiation, and (b) higher thermal conductivities k [Wm-1K-1], i.e., increased abilities to conduct heat. Therefore, in diffusion analyses (e.g., when describing critical O2 and glucose supplies or CO2 removal, and the development of hypoxic subvolumes) and for modeling temperature distributions in hyperthermia treatment planning, these specific cancer-related data must be considered in order to reliably reflect oncologic thermo-radiotherapy settings.

Reporting of Surgically Removed Lymph Nodes for Breast Tumors: Recommendations From the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting.

The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR), supported by major pathology and cancer organizations, aims at the standardization of evidence-based pathology reporting of different types of cancers, with the inclusion of all parameters deemed to be relevant for best patient care and future data collection. Lymph node metastasis is one of the most important prognostic factors in breast cancer. To produce a histopathology reporting guide by a panel of recognized experts from the fields of pathology and surgery with elements deemed to be core (required) and noncore (recommended) to report when assessing regional lymph nodes of patients with breast cancer. Published literature, previous guidelines/recommendations, and current cancer staging principles were the basis of the data set drafted by the expert panel. This was discussed in a series of teleconferences and email communications. The draft data set was then made available for public consultation through the ICCR Web site. After this consultation and ICCR ratification, the data set was finalized. The ICCR has published a data set for the reporting of surgically removed lymph nodes (including sentinel lymph node biopsy, axillary lymph node dissection, targeted axillary surgery, and lymph node sampling specimens) for breast tumors. This is part of a series of 4 ICCR breast cancer-related data sets. It includes 10 core elements along with 2 noncore elements. This should allow for synoptic reporting, which is more precise, uniform, and complete than nonsynoptic reporting, and leads to improved patient outcomes.

Prognostic value of comprehensive typing based on m6A and gene cluster in TNBC.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is resistant to targeted therapy with HER2 monoclonal antibodies and endocrine therapy, because it lacks the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TNBC is a subtype of breast cancer with the worst prognosis and the highest mortality rate compared to other subtypes. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is significant in cancer and metastasis, because it can alter gene expression and function at numerous levels, such as RNA splicing, stability, translocation, and translation. There are limited investigations into the connection between TNBC and m6A. Breast cancer-related data were retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and 116 triple-negative breast cancer cases were identified from the data. The GSE31519 data set, which included 68 cases of TNBC, was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Survival analysis was used to determine the prognosis of distinct m6A types based on their m6A group, gene group, and m6A score. To investigate the potential mechanism, GO and KEGG analyses were performed on the differentially expressed genes. The expression of m6A-related genes and their impact on prognosis in TNBC patients were studied. According to the findings, m6A was crucial in determining the prognosis of TNBC patients, and the major m6A-linked genes in this process were YTHDF2, RBM15B, IGFBP3, and WTAP. YTHDF2, RBM15B and IGFBP3 are associated with poor prognosis, while WTAP is associated with good prognosis. By cluster analysis, the gene cluster and the m6A cluster were beneficial in predicting the prognosis of TNBC patients. The m6A score based on m6A and gene clusters was more effective in predicting the prognosis of TNBC patients. Furthermore, the tumor microenvironment may play an important role in the process of m6A, influencing TNBC prognosis. N6-adenylic acid methylation (m6A) was important in altering the prognosis of TNBC patients, and the key m6A-associated genes in this process were YTHDF2, RBM15B, IGFBP3, and WTAP. Furthermore, the comprehensive typing based on m6A and gene clusters was useful in predicting TNBC patients' prognosis, showing potential as valuable evaluating tools for TNBC.

The Holistic Perspective of the INCISIVE Project—Artificial Intelligence in Screening Mammography

Finding new ways to cost-effectively facilitate population screening and improve cancer diagnoses at an early stage supported by data-driven AI models provides unprecedented opportunities to reduce cancer related mortality. This work presents the INCISIVE project initiative towards enhancing AI solutions for health imaging by unifying, harmonizing, and securely sharing scattered cancer-related data to ensure large datasets which are critically needed to develop and evaluate trustworthy AI models. The adopted solutions of the INCISIVE project have been outlined in terms of data collection, harmonization, data sharing, and federated data storage in compliance with legal, ethical, and FAIR principles. Experiences and examples feature breast cancer data integration and mammography collection, indicating the current progress, challenges, and future directions.

The Association Between Cancer and Alzheimer's-Type Neuropathology: A Community-Based Cohort Study

Background: Cancer and Alzheimer's disease are common diseases in aging populations. Intriguingly, prior research has reported a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease dementia among individuals with a history of cancer. Both are prevalent and lethal conditions. The current study was conducted to investigate the association of cancer history with neuropathological and cognitive features. Methods: Data were drawn from elderly, longitudinally evaluated participants in a community-based cohort study of aging and dementia who came to autopsy at the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The data were linked to the Kentucky Cancer Registry, which is a population-based state cancer surveillance system, to obtain cancer-related data. We examined the relationship between cancer history, clinical dementia diagnoses, Mini-Mental State examination test scores, and neuropathological features using inverse probability weighting to address confounding and selection bias. Results: Included participants (n = 785) had a mean ±SD age of death of 83.8 ±8.6 years; 60.1% were female. Positive cancer history was determined in 190 (24.2%) participants. The prevalence of at least one APOE ε4 allele was lower among participants with cancer history compared to cancer-free participants (32.6% vs 42.0%, P = 0.0063). Participants with cancer history had lower odds of MCI/Dementia, and higher cognitive test scores (e.g., comparing MMSE scores evaluated at six and < two years prior to death., P < 0.001). Cancer history was also associated with reduced odds of intermediate (III/IV) or severe (V/VI) Braak Neurofibrillary tangle stages, moderate/frequent neuritic plaques, moderate/frequent diffuse plaques, and moderate/severe cerebral amyloid angiopathy (all P<0.05). By contrast, TDP-43, √é±-synuclein, and cerebrovascular pathologies were not associated with cancer history. Conclusion: In this study, we showed that cancer history was associated with a lower burden of Alzheimer's disease pathology and clinical dementia. These findings provide an additional basis of support for prior epidemiological research reporting a protective association between cancer and Alzheimer's disease-type dementia.

Comparison of open versus minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of thoracolumbar metastases

IntroductionMinimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques have been developed for the surgical treatment of thoracolumbar spinal metastases to reduce the morbidity associated with the operation. The purpose of our study was to compare the mean length of stay, change in pain levels, neurological symptoms, complications and survival after open versus MIS surgery. Material and methodsThis is a single-center retrospective study based on a register of patients treated for vertebral metastases between January 2014 and October 2016. The collection included demographic data, cancer-related data, clinical data, the characteristics of the surgery, the length of stay, assessment of pain and the occurrence of death. These data were compared between open and MIS surgery groups. ResultsOut of 59 patients, 35 were treated with open surgery and 24 were treated with MIS surgery. The two groups were comparable in terms of age, gender and body mass index. Breast, kidney, prostate and lung cancers were the most frequent primary tumors. Prognostic and instability scores were comparable. Short- and medium-term pain assessment showed comparable results. Median survival was 208 days in the open surgery group and 224days in the MIS group (p=0.5299). ConclusionMIS techniques aim to limit the surgical approach and allow a faster introduction of adjuvant treatments than after open surgery. Our study did not find any differences between open and MIS surgery in terms of pain, neurological evolution or survival time in patients treated for thoracolumbar spinal metastases. Level of evidenceIV; retrospective study.

Training Cardiothoracic Residents in Robotic Lobectomy Is Cost-Effective With No Change in Clinical Outcomes

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate for any changes in quality or cost when robotic lung resection is used with significant trainee participation. Methods: All anatomic lung resections between January 2006 and June 2016 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Clinical data were recorded by double entry. Cost and cancer-related data were gathered from the business analytics department and tumor registry. Robotic outcomes were compared to an ongoing thoracotomy and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) experience. Propensity scores using age, sex, and comorbidities were assigned for statistical analysis. Survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Of 523 consecutive cases, 483 were included (211 robotic, 210 thoracotomy, 62 VATS). There were 74 robotic cases (35%) performed by trainees as the console surgeon. Length of stay was shortest for robotics (3 days) compared to thoracotomy (7 days, P < 0.001) and VATS (5 days, P = 0.010). Complications occurred in 33% of robotic cases, 42% of VATS cases (P = 0.854), and 52% of thoracotomy cases (P < 0.001). Stage I non-small cell lung cancer 3-year overall survival for robotics, thoracotomy, and VATS was 79.5%, 74.3%, and 74.0%, respectively (P > 0.25). There was no significant difference in negative margin rates. Total cost related to the hospitalization for surgery was $5,721 less for robotics compared to thoracotomy (P = 0.003) but comparable to VATS. Trainees served as console surgeon in 0% of cases in the first 2 years of robotics but increased to 79% in the last year of the study. Conclusions: Robotic lung resection can be safely performed and taught in an academic medical center without sacrificing quality or cost.

Overall Survival and Prognostic Factors among Older Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis Using a Hospital Database.

Simple SummaryThe benefits of standard treatments in metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) in terms of overall survival (OS) remain to date unclear, especially after 70 years. Alongside geriatric and oncologic parameters, we showed that the gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel regimen and anti-diabetic therapy were significantly associated with a better OS, while impaired functional status, the liver metastases and high neutrophil count were associated with a worse OS in older adults with mPC. We confirm the feasibility and efficacy of chemotherapy in older adults with mPC.Pre-therapeutic factors associated with overall survival (OS) among older patients ≥70 years with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) are not known. This was a retrospective single-centre cohort study in Paris including 159 consecutive older patients with mPC between 2000 and 2018. Alongside geriatric parameters, specific comorbidities, cancer-related data and chemotherapy regimens were retrieved. Cox multivariate models were run to assess predictors for OS. The median age was 80 years, 52% were women, 21.5% had diabetes, and 48% had pancreatic head cancer and 72% liver metastases. 62% of the patients (n = 99) received chemotherapy, among which the gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel (GnP) regimen was the most frequent (72%). Median OS [95%CI] was 7.40 [5.60–10.0] and 1.40 [0.90–2.20] months respectively for patients with and without chemotherapy. The GnP regimen (aHR [95%CI] = 0.47 [0.25–0.89], p = 0.02) and diabetes (aHR = 0.44 [0.24–0.77], p = 0.004) (or anti-diabetic therapy) were multivariate protective factors for death, while ECOG-PS, liver metastases, and the neutrophil cell count were multivariate risk factors for death. In the chemotherapy group, ECOG-PS, number of metastatic sites and the GnP remained significantly associated with OS. Our study confirms the feasibility and efficacy of chemotherapy and the protective effects of diabetes among older patients with mPC.

Cancer diagnosis is associated with a lower burden of dementia and less Alzheimer's-type neuropathology.

Cancer and Alzheimer's disease are common diseases in ageing populations. Previous research has reported a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease-type (amnestic) dementia among individuals with a diagnosis of cancer. Both cancer and amnestic dementia are prevalent and potentially lethal clinical syndromes. The current study was conducted to investigate the association of cancer diagnosis with neuropathological and cognitive features of dementia. Data were analysed from longitudinally evaluated participants in a community-based cohort study of brain ageing who came to autopsy at the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. These data were linked to the Kentucky Cancer Registry, a population-based state cancer surveillance system, to obtain cancer-related data. We examined the relationship between cancer diagnosis, clinical dementia diagnosis, Mini-Mental State Examination scores and neuropathological features using inverse probability weighting to address bias due to confounding and missing data. To address bias due to inclusion of participants with dementia at cohort baseline, we repeated all analyses restricted to the participants who were cognitively normal at baseline. Included participants (n = 785) had a mean ± standard deviation age of death of 83.8 ± 8.6 years; 60.1% were female. Cancer diagnosis was determined in 190 (24.2%) participants, and a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia was determined in 539 (68.7%). APOE ɛ4 allele dosage was lower among participants with cancer diagnosis compared to cancer-free participants overall (P = 0.0072); however, this association was not observed among those who were cognitively normal at baseline. Participants with cancer diagnosis had lower odds of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, and higher cognitive test scores (e.g. Mini-Mental State Examination scores evaluated 6 and ≤2 years ante-mortem, P < 0.001 for both comparisons). Cancer diagnosis also associated with lower odds of higher Braak neurofibrillary tangle stages (III/IV) or (V/VI), moderate/frequent neuritic plaques, moderate/frequent diffuse plaques and moderate/severe cerebral amyloid angiopathy (all P < 0.05). By contrast, TDP-43, α-synuclein and cerebrovascular pathologies were not associated with cancer diagnosis. Cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower burden of Alzheimer's disease pathology and less cognitive impairment. These findings from a community-based cohort with neuropathological confirmation of substrates support the hypothesis that there is an inverse relationship between cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Changing trend of incidence and mortality of stomach cancer during 2010-2016 in Henan Province, China

Objective: To estimate stomach cancer incidence and mortality in Henan, 2016 and analyze the trend of stomach cancer incidence and mortality from 2010 to 2016. Methods: Stomach cancer related data in 2016 was extracted from Henan cancer registration and follow-up system. All data were qualified in validity, reliability and completeness according to the Guideline on Cancer Registration in China and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/IACR). The incidence and mortality of stomach cancer were estimated by areas, gender and age based on the quality data and the registered population data of Henan province in 2016. The epidemic trend of stomach cancer was also been evaluated based on the age-standardized incidence and mortality by Chinese population (ASR China) from 2010 to 2016. Results: In 2016, the estimated incident cases of stomach cancer were 44 311. The incidence was 41.07/100 000, ASR China was 30.17/100 000, ASR by world population (ASR world) was 30.36/100 000, and the cumulative incidence rate was 3.84%. The incidences of male and female were 55.65/100 000 and 25.35/100 000, respectively. Meanwhile, 32 927 people died of stomach cancer in Henan. The mortality was 30.52/100 000, ASR China was 21.45/100 000, ASR world was 21.54/100 000, and the cumulative mortality was 2.53%. From 2010 to 2016, both the ASR China for incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in Henan showed a steady downward trend. In rural, the ASR China for incidence and mortality decreased rapidly, while the stable trend was observed in urban. Nevertheless, the incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in rural were still higher than those in urban. Conclusions: The incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in Henan province showed steadily declining trend from 2010 to 2016, and the geographical distribution difference between rural and urban areas was gradually narrowing. However, the disease burden was still high in 2016.

Cancer history associates with a lower burden of dementia and Alzheimer’s‐type neuropathology in autopsied research volunteers

Cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are common diseases in aging populations. Intriguingly, prior research has reported a lower incidence of AD among individuals with a history of cancer. The current study was conducted to investigate the association of cancer history with neuropathological and cognitive features.Data were drawn from elderly, longitudinally evaluated participants in a community-based cohort study of aging and dementia who came to autopsy at the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (UK-ADRC). The UK-ADRC data were linked to the Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR), which is a population-based cancer state surveillance system, to obtain cancer-related data. We examined the causal relationship between cancer history and neuropathological features and clinical diagnoses using inverse probability weighting to address confounding and selection bias. Linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts and slopes were used to compare cognitive trajectories in participants with or without cancer history.Included participants (n=785) had a mean [SD] age of death of 83.8 [8.6] years; 60.1% were female (Table 1). History of cancer was reported in 190 (24.2%) participants. The prevalence of ≥1 APOE ε4 allele was lower among the participants with cancer history compared to cancer-free participants (32.6% vs 42%). Participants with cancer history had significantly lower odds of MCI/dementia at the last UK-ADRC visit (odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31-0.65). Participants with cancer history had lower odds of Braak neurofibrillary tangle stages III/IV (OR=0.52 [0.34-0.79]) and V/VI (OR=0.38 [0.26-0.55]) vs. 0/I/II. Cancer history was also associated with reduced odds of moderate/frequent neuritic plaques, OR=0.53 (0.37-0.76); moderate/frequent diffuse plaques, OR=0.53 (0.36-0.78); and moderate/frequent cerebral amyloid angiopathy, OR=0.58 (0.37-0.91). TDP-43, α-synuclein, and cerebrovascular pathologies were not associated with cancer history. The cancer-free participants had lower significantly more rapid decline in longitudinally assessed MMSE scores (β= -0.47 per year increase in age) than the participants with cancer history (Figure 1).In this study, we showed that cancer history was associated with lower burden of AD pathology and less risk of dementia. These findings provide an additional basis of support for prior epidemiological research reporting a protective association between cancer and AD-type dementia.

Identification of Immune-Related Risk Characteristics and Prognostic Value of Immunophenotyping in TNBC.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is not sensitive to targeted therapy with HER-2 monoclonal antibody and endocrine therapy due to lack of ER, PR, and HER-2 receptors. TNBC is a breast cancer subtype with the worst prognosis and the highest mortality rate compared with other subtypes. Materials and Methods: Breast cancer-related data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and 116 cases of triple-negative breast cancer were identified from the data. GSE31519 dataset was retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, comprising a total of 68 cases with TNBC. Survival analysis was performed based on immune score, infiltration score and mutation score to explore differences in prognosis of different immune types. Analysis of differentially expressed genes was conducted and GSEA analysis based on these genes was conducted to explore the potential mechanism. Results: The findings showed that comprehensive immune typing is highly effective and accurate in assessing prognosis of TNBC patients. Analysis showed that MMP9, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 and CD7 are key genes that may affect immune typing of TNBC patients and play an important role in prediction of prognosis in TNBC patients. Conclusion: The current study presents an evaluation system based on immunophenotyping, which provides a more accurate prognostic evaluation tool for TNBC patients. Differentially expressed genes can be targeted to improve treatment of TNBC.

A scoping review documenting cancer outcomes and inequities for adults living with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities

Emerging evidence suggests adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) may be at risk of inequities in cancer experiences and outcomes. Individuals with IDD may experience multiple barriers that could worsen outcomes and experience. These barriers may be connected to features of IDD or the healthcare system overall. Future research and program planning to support adults with IDD and cancer must be informed by evidence that acknowledges potential disparities, underlying determinants, and knowledge deficits.We conducted a scoping review to systematically map the evidence describing and comparing cancer-related outcomes along the cancer continuum from risk to mortality for adults with IDD. We identified specific factors observed to influence those outcomes.We followed the expanded Arksey & O'Malley framework for conducting the scoping review. We searched for literature in PubMed and Embase databases. We abstracted cancer-related data, IDD-related data, and data related to physical and social determinants of health.Of the 2796 studies retrieved, 38 were included for review. Most studies focused on screening outcomes and experiences. Studies reported that adults with IDD experienced inequities at various points along the cancer continuum. Numerous social and physical determinants of health influenced the experiences and outcomes of adults with IDD.This scoping review identified significant gaps in the literature. Of note was the focus on cancer screening and lack of attention to larger systems of oppression that may influence poor cancer experiences and outcomes for adults with IDD. There is strong need to improve both quality and quantity of research in this area.

Sexual dysfunction in Thai gynecologic malignancies survivors: A single-institutional cross-sectional observational survey.

To examine the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in gynecologic cancer survivors. A cross-sectional observation survey recruited women aged 18-65 years old who were diagnosed with gynecologic cancers and underwent surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or combined modalities. Data were collected from September 2019 to March 2020 by the Thai version of the female sexual function index questionnaire to define FSD. The survey contained six domains: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Of the 98 women included in the study, the mean age was 48.7 ± 10.6 years old. Two-third (67.3%) of the participants was premenopausal, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and had early-stage gynecologic cancers. Fifty-eight of 98 (59.2%) participants were sexually active in the past 4 weeks before the survey. Among those, 89.6% had FSD. The median scores in the FSD group were significantly lower than those in the non-FSD group in all six domains, namely, desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference observed between participants with and without FSD in terms of age group, cancer-related data, or sexual behavior data, except participants who had good/excellent relationships with their partners, which impacted FSD (p=0.01). This study discovered the high prevalence (89.6%) of hidden issue of "female sexual dysfunction" in Thai gynecologic cancer survivors. The good/excellent relationships with their partners affected the FSD who were sexually active in the past 4 weeks before the survey.

Lecture No. 3 Current status and future outlook for collection of cancer-related data in Asia.

Lecture No. 3 Current status and future outlook for collection of cancer-related data in Asia.

Gene Regulatory Network Inference as Relaxed Graph Matching

Bipartite network inference is a ubiquitous problem across disciplines. One important example in the field molecular biology is gene regulatory network inference. Gene regulatory networks are an instrumental tool aiding in the discovery of the molecular mechanisms driving diverse diseases, including cancer. However, only noisy observations of the projections of these regulatory networks are typically assayed. In an effort to better estimate regulatory networks from their noisy projections, we formulate a non-convex but analytically tractable optimization problem called OTTER. This problem can be interpreted as relaxed graph matching between the two projections of the bipartite network. OTTER's solutions can be derived explicitly and inspire a spectral algorithm, for which we provide network recovery guarantees. We also provide an alternative approach based on gradient descent that is more robust to noise compared to the spectral algorithm. Interestingly, this gradient descent approach resembles the message passing equations of an established gene regulatory network inference method, PANDA. Using three cancer-related data sets, we show that OTTER outperforms state-of-the-art inference methods in predicting transcription factor binding to gene regulatory regions. To encourage new graph matching applications to this problem, we have made all networks and validation data publicly available.

Expectations of Patients and Their Informal Caregivers from an Integrative Oncology Consultation.

Integrative physicians (IPs) working in supportive and palliative care are often consulted about the use of herbal medicine for disease-related outcomes. We examined 150 electronic files of oncology patients referred to an IP consultation for demographic and cancer-related data; use of herbal medicine for disease-related outcomes; and narratives of patients and informal caregivers describing their expectations from the IP consultation. Over half (51.3%) of patients reported using herbal medicine for disease-related outcomes, more so among those adopting dietary changes for this goal (P < .005). Most (53.3%) were accompanied by an informal caregiver, especially those using herbal medicine (66.2%, P = .002) or adopting dietary changes (69.8%, P < .001). The majority of patients (84.4%) expected the IP to provide guidance on the use of herbal medicine for disease-related outcomes (e.g., “curing,” “shrinking,” “eradicating” and “cleansing”). Most caregivers (88.8%) expressed a similar expectation, with some having additional questions not mentioned by the patient. IPs need to identify and understand expectations of oncology patients and their informal caregivers, helping them make informed decisions on the effective and safe use of herbal medicine. The IP may need to “reframe” expectations regarding the ability of herbal medicine to treat cancer and immunity, to more realistic quality of life-focused goals.