Guidance for management of cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summary: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, delaying lifesaving cancer surgeries must be done with extreme caution and thoughtfulness. Modelling indicates that delays in high-risk cancer surgeries beyond 6 weeks could affect long-term outcomes for thousands of Canadians. Consequently, it is possible that postponing cancer surgery without consideration of its implications could cost more lives than can be saved by diverting all surgical resources to COVID-19. This article provides general guidance on supporting curative surgical treatment where appropriate and with available resources.

Pathogenesis and diagnostic pitfalls of ventricular diverticula: case report and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Ventricular diverticula are local herniations of the ventricular system occurring in association with severe, long-standing hydrocephalus. Variability in the extent and location of these ventricular pouches may produce misleading radiological conformations and raise diagnostic challenges. In this report, we discuss the pathogenesis and differential diagnosis of ventricular diverticula on the basis of a case illustration. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 38-year-old woman presenting with hydrocephalus secondary to an obstructive lesion of the third ventricle. A large, dilated structure compressing the brainstem was present in the posterior fossa. INTERVENTION: The posterior fossa lesion was identified as an atrial diverticulum by injection of contrast medium into the right lateral ventricle, which led to immediate enhancement of the infratentorial cavity. Ventricular drainage and removal of the third ventricular lesion, a colloid cyst, allowed progressive collapse of the diverticulum and symptom resolution. CONCLUSION: This report discusses the pathogenesis of ventricular diverticula and demonstrates that ventriculography can be used to differentiate atrial diverticula from other posterior fossa lesions when time-consuming multiplanar magnetic resonance imaging cannot be afforded on an emergency basis.

miRNAs as important drivers of glioblastomas: a no-brainer?

There is no debate on the relevance of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cancer. Numerous miRNAs with oncogenic and tumor-suppressive properties have been identified in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive type of brain tumor with dismal prognosis. Differential expression of these biomolecules in several cancer models makes them attractive therapeutic targets for the development of miRNA-based cancer treatments despite the hurdles associated with such an approach. In addition, systemic release of miRNAs also positions them as attractive tools for non-invasive cancer diagnosis and prognosis. This review initially looks at differentially expressed miRNAs in GBMs. Our focus will next be directed towards circulating miRNAs and how these molecules could be leveraged for cancer diagnosis as well as for the assessment of patient response to chemotherapeutic treatments. Finally, we discuss the primary strategies utilized in the development of miRNA-focused therapeutics and summarize preclinical results gathered in GBMs to date.