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Αλέξανδρος Γ. Σφακιανάκης

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Advances in Biomarker-Driven Targeted Therapies in Thyroid Cancer

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Cancers (Basel). 2021 Dec 9;13(24):6194. doi: 10.3390/cancers13246194.

ABSTRACT

Thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine malignancy comprising 2-3% of all cancers, with a constant rise in the incidence rate. The standard first-line treatments for thyroid cancer include surgery and radioactive iodine ablation, and a majority of patients show a good response to these therapies. Despite a better response and outcome, approximately twenty percent of patients develop disease recurrence and distant metastasis. With improved knowledge of molecular dysregulation and biological characteristics of thyroid cancer, the development of new treatment strategies comprising novel targets has accelerated. Biomarker-driven targeted therapies have now emerged as a trend for personalized treatments in patients with advanced cancers, and several multiple receptor kinase inhibitors have entered clinical trials (phase I/II/III) to evaluate their safety and efficacy. Most extensively investigated and clinically approved targeted therapies in thyroid cancer include the tyrosine receptor kinase inhibitors that target antiangiogenic markers, BRAF mutation, PI3K/AKT, and MAPK pathway components. In this review, we focus on the current advances in targeted mono- and combination therapies for various types of thyroid cancer.

PMID:34944814 | DOI:10.3390/cancers13246194

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Myxedema Psychosis after Levothyroxine Withdrawal in Radioactive Iodine Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: A Case Report

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Case Rep Oncol. 2021 Nov 8;14(3):1596-1600. doi: 10.1159/000520128. eCollection 2021 Sep-Dec.

ABSTRACT

Neuropsychiatric symptoms, especially acute psychosis (often referred to as myxedema madness or psychosis), are rare but possible clinical presentations of patients with hypothyroidism. A 42-year-old woman with papillary thyroid carcinoma and recent total thyroidectomy had developed flat affect, paranoid delusion, and visual and auditory hallucination during inpatient admission fo r elective radioactive iodine treatment. On admission, her history and physical exam did not reveal symptoms and signs of significant hypothyroidism. Other medical causes of acute psychosis were excluded, and the patient was immediately treated with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Subsequently, her thyroid function normalized, and her psychotic symptoms gradually improved. Although there is a lack of classic signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, myxedema madness should be recognized as one of the potentially treatable causes of acute psychosis.

PMID:34950002 | PMC:PMC8647114 | DOI:10.1159/000520128

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Incidence of Spinal CSF Leakage on CT Myelography in Patients with Nontraumatic Intracranial Subdural Hematoma

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Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Dec 6;11(12):2278. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11122278.

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the incidence of spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks in patients with nontraumatic intracranial subdural hematoma (SDH) and determine clinical parameters favoring such leaks. This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. Patients diagnosed with nontraumatic intracranial SDH who underwent computed tomography (CT) myelography between January 2012 and March 2018 were selected. 60 patients (male: female, 39:21; age range, 20-82 years) were enrolled and divided into CSF leak-positive and CSF leak-negative groups according to CT myelography data. Clinical findings were statistically compared between the two groups. Spinal CSF leak was observed in 80% (48/60) of patients, and it was significantly associated with an age of <69 years (p = 0.006). However, patients aged ≥69 yea rs also had a tendency to exhibit spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH)-induced nontraumatic intracranial SDH (60.87%; 14/23). Therefore, CT myelography is recommended to be performed for the evaluation of possible SIH in patients with nontraumatic intracranial SDH, particularly those aged <69 years. Patients aged ≥69 years are also good candidates for CT myelography because SIH tends to occur even in this age group.

PMID:34943515 | DOI:10.3390/diagnostics11122278

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Outcomes of Endolymphatic Sac Surgery for Meniere’s Disease with and without Comorbid Migraine

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Purpose. To explore outcomes of endolymphatic sac surgery for patients with Meniere's disease with and without the comorbid condition of migraine. Materials and Methods. A retrospective chart review of adult patients undergoing endolymphatic sac surgery at a single tertiary care center from 1987 to 2019 was performed. All adult patients who failed medical therapy and underwent primary endolymphatic sac surgery were included. The main outcome measures were vertigo control and functional level scale (FLS) score. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and audiometric outcomes were tracked as well. Results. Patients with Meniere's disease and migraine had a stronger association with psychiatric comorbidities (64.29% vs. 25.80%, ), shorter duration of vertigo episodes (143 vs. 393 min, ), and younger age (36.6 vs. 50.8 yr, ) at the time of endolymphatic sac surgery. Postoperative pure tone averages and word recognition scores were nearly identical to preoperative baselines. Class A vertigo control (47.92%) was most common, followed by class B vertigo control (31.25%). The FLS score improved from 4.2 to 2.8 (). Both patients with and without migraine had classes A-B vertigo control (66.67% vs. 80.95%) without any statistically significant difference (). Of the patients who required secondary treatment (10.42%), none had migraine. Conclusions. Endolymphatic sac surgery is an effective surgical intervention for Meniere's disease with and without migraine. Patients with comorbid migraine tend to be younger and present with psychiatric comorbidities.
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Sub-brow skin excision Combined with retro-orbicularis fat resection: A Technique for upper eyelid bulkiness and laxity correction

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J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2021 Nov 27:S1748-6815(21)00603-3. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2021.11.059. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Many people are characterized by a swollen appearance and loose skin of upper eyelids, especially Asians. Retro-orbicularis oculus fat (ROOF) lying in the lateral canthus area is a critical factor of the bulkiness formation. Although several approaches have been reported, most of them intend to remove orbicularis muscle and preaponeurotic fat through a double-eyelid incision, leaving ROOF untreated. Consequently, an unnatural eyelid fold is formed and the lateral supraorbital region remains bloated .

METHODS: Sixty-seven patients underwent sub-brow skin excision combined with ROOF resection. The key point was to excise the loose skin and thick ROOF through an incision along with the lower 1/3 of the eyebrow. Surgical outcomes were evaluated 6 months postoperatively by the heights of the de signed line from the palpebral margin to the pupil center (HPPC), medial cornea (HPMC), and lateral canthus (HPLC). The pinch test, photographs, and complications were also recorded.

RESULTS: The preoperative average HPPC, HPMC, and HPLC were 9.68 ± 1.73, 7.68 ± 1.24, and 6.82 ± 1.12 mm, while the postoperative average measurements were 7.25 ± 0.51, 5.99 ± 0.54, and 5.54 ± 0.61 mm, respectively. The result of the pinch test was improved and postoperative scarring was inconspicuous. Two patients had transient numbness in the eyebrow region that subsided within seven days. Two patients had slight asymmetry of eyebrow position but did not need a second operation.

CONCLUSIONS: Sub-brow skin excision combined with ROOF resection is an effective technique for improving upper eyelid bulkiness and skin excess with low revision rates.

PMID:34949571 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2021.11.059

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Regulation of nuclear medicine services: Perception of the problems and challenges in Colombia for the approach to cancer

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Biomedica. 2021 Dec 15;41(4):692-705. doi: 10.7705/biomedica.6123.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Colombia has modified the nuclear medicine norms that impact the administration of radioactive iodine therapy in the treatment of thyroid cancer. Objective: To identify the areas of agreement regarding the issue, as well as the current and emergent requirements associated with the normative for the operation of nuclear medicine services that have an impact on the care of patients with thyroid cancer in Colombia. Materials and methods: We conducted a two-round Delphi study for each expert, clinical, and regulatory group. The first round explored views on the implications of the regulations that apply to nuclear medicine. The second round rated the statements from the first round by their relevance. Results: The issues regarding nuclear medicine services were related to the normative clarity and the lack of synergy and coherence among inspection, surveillance, and control bodies. The demands on the waste management system require a high economic investment that can influence the service offer and have an impact on the integral control of thyroid cancer. Unification of the auditors' criteria, delimitation of the acting agent functions, technical assistance to the services to comply with the normative, and the oversight of the inspection, surveillance, and control bodies by the regulatory entities are among the current and future needs. Conclusions: Our findings suggest th at nuclear medicine services are going through a time of multiple institutional, regulatory, and economic challenges that put at risk the development and maintenance of nuclear medicine in cancer care.

PMID:34936254 | DOI:10.7705/biomedica.6123

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Machine learning can identify patients at risk of hyperparathyroidism without known calcium and intact parathyroid hormone

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Abstract

Background

To prove the concept of diagnosing primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) without calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) values and identifying potential risk factors for pHPT.

Methods

Data were extracted from the clinical data warehouse (CDW) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Epic EHR (2014–2019).

Results

1737 patients with over 185 000 rows of clinical data were provided in a relational structure and processed/flattened to facilitate modeling. Phenotype elements were identified for pHPT without advance knowledge of calcium and PTH levels. The area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction of pHPT using our model was 0.86 with sensitivity and specificity of 0.8953 and 0.6686, respectively, using a 0.45 probability threshold.

Conclusion

Primary hyperparathyroidism was predicted from a dataset excluding calcium and PTH data with 86% accuracy. This approach needs to be validated/refined on larger samples of data and plans are in place to do this with other regional/national datasets.

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