A Comprehensive Analysis of Tobacco Smoking History as a Risk for Outcomes after Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Resection of Pituitary Adenoma.

Objectives This study seeks to comprehensively analyze the impact of smoking history on outcomes after endoscopic transsphenoidal hypophysectomy (TSH) for pituitary adenoma. Design This was a retrospective study. Setting This study was done at the tertiary care center. Participants Three hundred and ninety-eight adult patients undergoing TSH for a pituitary adenoma. Main Outcome Measures Clinical and tumor characteristics and operative factors were collected. Patients were categorized as never, former, or active smokers, and the pack-years of smoking history was collected. Years since cessation of smoking was obtained for former smokers. Specific outcomes included postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, length of hospitalization, 30-day return to the operating room, and 30-day readmission. Smoking history details were comprehensively analyzed for association with outcomes. Results Any history of smoking tobacco was associated with return to the operating room (odds ratio [OR] = 2.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-6.76, p = 0.039), which was for persistent CSF leak in 58.3%. Among patients with postoperative CSF leak, any history of smoking was associated with need for return to the operating room to repair the CSF leak (OR = 5.25, 95% CI: 1.07-25.79, p = 0.041). Pack-years of smoking was positively associated with a return to the operating room (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06, p = 0.048). In all multivariable models, all negative outcomes were significantly associated with the covariate: occurrence of intraoperative CSF leak. Conclusion This is the first study to show smoking may have a negative impact on healing of CSF leak repairs after TSH, requiring a return to the operating room. This effect appears to be dose dependent on the smoking history. Secondarily, intraoperative CSF leak as covariate in multivariable models was significantly associated with all negative outcomes.

Toward the development of portable light emitting diode-based polarization spectroscopy tools for breast cancer diagnosis.

A robust, affordable and portable light emitting diode-based diagnostic tools (POLS-NIRDx) using a polarization-sensitive (linear as well as circular polarization) technique were designed and developed to quantify the degree of linear polarization (DOLP), degree of circular polarization (DOCP). The study was performed on malignant (invasive ductal carcinoma) and adjacent normal ex-vivo biopsy tissues excised from N = 10 patients at the operating wavelengths of 850 and 940 nm. The average DOLP and DOCP values were lower for malignant than adjacent normal while operating at 850 and 940 nm. The highest accuracy was observed for DOLP (100%) and DOCP (80%) while operating at 850 nm, which reduced (80% for DOLP and 65% for DOCP) at 940 nm. This pilot study can be utilized as a differentiating factor to delineate malignant tissues from adjacent normal tissues.

Chemoresistance Mediated by ceRNA Networks Associated With the PVT1 Locus.

Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks have emerged as critical regulators of carcinogenesis. Their activity is mediated by various non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs, which competitively bind to targets, thereby modulating gene expression and activity of proteins. Of particular interest, ncRNAs encoded by the 8q24 chromosomal region are associated with the development and progression of several human cancers, most prominently lncPVT1. Chemoresistance presents a significant obstacle in the treatment of cancer and is associated with dysregulation of normal cell processes, including abnormal proliferation, differentiation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. CeRNA networks have been shown to regulate these processes via both direct sponging/repression and epigenetic mechanisms. Here we present a review of recent literature examining the contribution of ncRNAs encoded by the PVT1 locus and their associated ceRNA networks to the development of resistance to common chemotherapeutic agents used to treat human cancers.