Significance Of Relapse Research Articles

Retrospective Study of Bone-TB in Oman: 2002–2019

ObjectiveLittle information is available about the etiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, and epidemiologic features of Bone Tuberculosis (Bone-TB). In this work, we present the epidemiological data about the Bone-TB in the Sultanate of Oman.MethodsRetrospectively, we identified and assessed those patients who were diagnosed with Bone-TB between January 2002 and December 2019 at Khoula Hospital. The following data were collected: demographics, clinical presentation, anatomical location, diagnosis, and treatment of the Bone-TB.ResultsDuring the study period, 115 cases of Bone-TB were diagnosed. Males were affected more than females (57.4% and 42.6%, respectively). About 30% of Bone-TB cases were primary diagnosed in other organs particularly the lungs and then after disseminated to the bone. However, the Bone-TB was detected in hip, leg, hand, shoulder, and skull bones, the most detected Bone-TB was in spine (66% of cases). After vaccination the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) strains were identified in the bones of eight babies. Tubercle bacilli were detected by Acid-Fast Stain (AFS) in 59% of cases, and the rest of cases were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. There are two used treatment regimens, with 12.4% relapse. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disturbances were the most related side effects. The resistance has been detected to pyrazinamide in six cases, rifampicin in three cases, and isoniazid, streptomycin and kanamycin were detected in one case.ConclusionThe most predominant Bone-TB cases were spine-TB that were mainly disseminated from the lungs. AFS failed to detect tubercle bacilli in 40% of cases. There is no statistical significance in relapse between the used two regimens. The death was predominant among skull-TB cases.

Impact of pre-transplantation minimal residual disease (MRD) on the outcome of Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the impact of minimal residual disease (MRD) before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) on the outcome of acute leukemia. Methods Data from 114 patients who were diagnosed with acute leukemia (AL) and underwent allo-HSCT between Jan 2013 and Dec 2019 were collected and analyzed. The patients were attributed into MRD positive (MRD+) group and MRD negative (MRD−) group. Results Among the 114 acute leukemia patients, there were 32 MRD+ patients before transplantation, and 82 MRD− patients. No significant difference was found between the MRD+ group and the MRD− group in the incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) (p = 0.09). Compared with the MRD+ group, the MRD− group had a higher incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) (p = 0.008). There is no significance in relapse between the two groups (p = 0.084), while the incidence of relapse was seemingly higher in the MRD+ group: 36.9% Vs 19.7% . We attributed to the lack of sample size and NRM in MRD+ group was remarkably higher. The MRD+ group had significantly worse one-year overall survival (OS) ( , p = 0.003) and one-year progression-free survival (PFS) (, p = 0.009). In the multivariate analysis, MRD+ was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 1.898; 95%CI 1.042–3.457; p = 0.036). Conclusion Pre-transplantation MRD positive status is a risk factor for survival and prognosis after HSCT. Upon this, emphasis should be put on (1) screening more efficient chemo regimen with targeted agents, to help patients reach and keep MRD− status before transplantation; (2) designing better management with different GvHD prophylaxis treatment, timely disease monitoring and preemptive intervention on relapse.

Low expression of CTBP2 and CASP8AP2 predicts risk of relapse in childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a retrospective cohort study

CtBP is a known corepressor abundantly expressed in cancer and regulates genes involved in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of CTBP2 expression in a cohort of pediatric patients with B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). It further evaluated the role of combined CTBP2 and CASP8AP2 expression in risk of relapse of BCP-ALL. The expression of CTBP2 mRNA was retrospectively detected by a qRT-PCR approach in bone marrow samples from 104 children with newly diagnosed BCP-ALL. CASP8AP2 was assessed simultaneously in the 100 patients included in this study. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the cut off levels for CTBP2 and CASP8AP2 expression with good predictive significance for relapse of BCP-ALL. Patients with low CTBP2 expression had inferior relapse-free survival (RFS) and event-free survival (EFS) when compared to patients with high-CTBP2 expression. The expression level of CTBP2 was significantly associated with CASP8AP2 expression (r = 0.449, P < 0.001). Patients were stratified into three groups according to the combined evaluation of the two gene expression, and patients with simultaneous low-expression had the worst outcome (6-year RFS: 64.6%±12.8%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated the expression of CTBP2 and CASP8AP2, minimal residual disease (MRD) at day 33 remained as independent prognostic factors for RFS. Based on the final Cox hazards model, we proposed an algorithm to calculate the risk index, which was more precise for predicting relapse. In conclusion, low expression of CTBP2 and CASP8AP2 correlated with poor outcome and predicted risk of relapse in pediatric BCP-ALL.

Identification of candidate miRNAs in early-onset and late-onset prostate cancer by network analysis

The incidence of patients under 55 years old diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (EO-PCa) has increased during recent years. The molecular biology of PCa cancer in this group of patients remains unclear. Here, we applied weighted gene coexpression network analysis of the expression of miRNAs from 24 EO-PCa patients (38–45 years) and 25 late-onset PCa patients (LO-PCa, 71–74 years) to identify key miRNAs in EO-PCa patients. In total, 69 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. Specifically, 26 and 14 miRNAs were exclusively deregulated in young and elderly patients, respectively, and 29 miRNAs were shared. We identified 20 hub miRNAs for the network built for EO-PCa. Six of these hub miRNAs exhibited prognostic significance in relapse‐free or overall survival. Additionally, two of the hub miRNAs were coexpressed with mRNAs of genes previously identified as deregulated in EO-PCa and in the most aggressive forms of PCa in African-American patients compared with Caucasian patients. These genes are involved in activation of immune response pathways, increased rates of metastasis and poor prognosis in PCa patients. In conclusion, our analysis identified miRNAs that are potentially important in the molecular pathology of EO-PCa. These genes may serve as biomarkers in EO-PCa and as possible therapeutic targets.

Negative affect subtypes and craving differentially predict long-term cessation success among smokers achieving initial abstinence.

This study aimed to examine the associations of individual trajectories of three types of negative affect (NA: anxiety, depression, and anger) and craving during a 44-day period of incentivized smoking abstinence period with cessation outcome at 3months and at 1year. Adult smokers (N=140) completed questionnaire assessments of NA and craving during pre-quit baseline sessions and 15 postquit sessions over the 45days of biochemically verified abstinence while on nicotine or placebo patch treatment. Growth curve and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations of trajectory parameters of the individual NA states and craving with the abstinence outcomes at 3months and 1year postquit. Greater declines in anxiety, depression, and anger symptoms over the first 44days of smoking cessation were predictive of higher odds of abstinence at both 3months and 1year. Moreover, the greater declines in anxiety and anger remained as significant predictors of abstinence at both time points, independent of the predictive ability of the trajectory profiles of craving. The findings suggest that slower dissipation of NA, especially anxiety and anger, represents a greater risk for relapse to smoking beyond that predicted by craving during early abstinence. Thus, temporal profiles of the affective symptoms convey unique motivational significance in relapse. Reduction in NA during early abstinence may be a valid target for interventions to increase long-term cessation success rates particularly among individuals with refractory affective symptoms.

Combined modality treatment for organ preservation in patients with invasive bladder cancer

e16129 Purpose: To evaluate long term results of chemoradiation and organ preservation in invasive T2-T4a bladder carcinoma in a single institution with prolonged follow up. Methods: Sixty one patients with clinical stage II and III (T3N0) muscle invasive bladder carcinoma were treated between February 1991 and December 2007. Forty four received sequential treatment (chemo followed by radiation) and seventeen concurrent treatments. Chemotherapy was platinum based in all patients, fifth teen with Carboplatin. All underwent maximal citoreduction with TUR .First 20 patients received pelvic radiation (1991–1993),while the other 41 three-dimensional radiotherapy (median dose 60 Gy). Male/female 55/6: median age 64 (range 46–80); transitional type 58 and mixed-epidermoid 6. Grade II: 3, grade III: 48 and grade IV: 10. Clinical stage II:50 and III:11. Mean follow up 63 months. Results: The 5 year overall survival rate was 57%. Forty patients remained NED, with eight deaths due to second primary or cardiovascular disease. Twenty pts were treated more than 5 years ago, 16(80%) are alive, 14 NED,2 pts relapsed after 5 years. Of all predictive factors analyzed only clinical stage reached statistical significance for relapse (p=0.0029), and borderline significance for overall survival (p=0.064). Toxicity: Grade 3–4: 7%, with 3% of febrile neutropenia. No patient required cystectomy because of bladder morbidity. Conclusions: Trimodality treatment in selected patients offers rates of event free survival and overall survival similar to those reported for surgery with acceptable toxicity and no treatment related cystectomy. Relapse after 5 year is very uncommon. In this small group of patient results were similar with concurrent and sequential treatment. At present we treat our patients with concurrent chemoradiation with tridimensional technique. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The neurobiology of addiction.

Drug addiction includes complex neurobiological and behavioural processes. Acute reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse are responsible for the initiation of drug addiction, whereas the negative consequences of drug abstinence have a crucial motivational significance for relapse and maintenance of the addictive process. The mesocorticolimbic system represents a common neuronal substrate for the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse. Both dopamine and opioid transmission play a crucial role in this reward pathway. Common neuronal changes have also been reported during the abstinence to different drugs of abuse that could underlie the negative motivational effects of withdrawal. These changes include decreased dopaminergic activity in the mesolimbic system and a recruitment of the brain stress pathways. All drugs of abuse interact with these brain circuits by acting on different molecular and neurochemical mechanisms. The existence of bidirectional interactions between different drugs of abuse, such as opioids and cannabinoids, provides further findings to support this common neurobiological substrate for drug addictive processes.

Significance of relapse after adjuvant treatment with combination chemotherapy or 5-fluorouracil alone in high-risk breast cancer

Significance of relapse after adjuvant treatment with combination chemotherapy or 5-fluorouracil alone in high-risk breast cancer