Liquid Biopsy Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (LB-RECIST).

Current evaluation of treatment response in solid tumors depends on dynamic changes in tumor diameters as measured by imaging. However, these changes can only be detected when there are enough macroscopic changes in tumor volume, which limits the usability of radiological response criteria in evaluating earlier stages of disease response and necessitates much time to lapse for gross changes to be notable. One promising approach is to incorporate dynamic changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), which occur early in the course of therapy and can predict tumor responses weeks before gross size changes manifest. However, several issues need to be addressed before recommending the implementation of ctDNA response criteria in daily clinical practice such as clinical, biological, and regulatory challenges and, most importantly, the need to standardize/harmonize detection methods and ways to define ctDNA response and/or progression for precision oncology. Herein, we review the use of liquid biopsy (LB) to evaluate response in solid tumors and propose a plan toward standardization of LB-RECIST.

Phase II trial of thalidomide, irinotecan and gemcitabine in chemonaive patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

This study aim was to determine the efficacy and safety of the combination of Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) day 1 & 8 and Irinotecan 100 mg/m(2) day 1 & 8 with escalating dose of thalidomide in chemonaive patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Among the 20 patients who met eligibility criteria and received treatment, two patients (10%) experienced partial response and 14 (70%) experienced stable disease. The median time to disease progression was 4 months (95% CI: 2.8-6.6). The 1 year and 2 year survival rates were 36% and 27%, respectively. This combination is active in advanced NSCLC with manageable toxicity profile.

Atypical B12 deficiency with nonresolving paraesthesia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can present with various hematological, gastrointestinal and neurological manifestations. We report a case of elderly female who presented with neuropathy and vitamin B12 deficiency where the final work-up revealed polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes (POEMS). This case suggests that, although POEMS syndrome is a rare entity, it can present with vitamin-B12 deficiency and thus specific work up for early diagnosis of POEMS should be considered in patients with B12 deficiency unresponsive to therapy.

Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia and Peripheral Neuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal Gammopathy, and Skin Changes with a Bleeding Diathesis and Rash.

We report a case of a 29-year-old male who presented with paraesthesia and skin lesions with excessive bleeding after skin biopsy leading to hematology consultation. He was found to have prolonged partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and monoclonal gammopathy on serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP). He experienced excessive bleeding leading to hospitalization after bone marrow biopsy and required blood transfusion. He was diagnosed with Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia (WM), based on the presence of IgM- κ type monoclonal (M) protein and infiltration of lymphoplasmacytic cells identified in bone marrow aspirates. He was noticed to have features of peripheral neuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes (POEMS syndrome). This is a very rare case of WM with POEMS syndrome which responded to chemotherapy using bortezomib, steroids, and rituximab.

Approach to management of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura at university of cincinnati.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) is a rare hematologic emergency, congenital or acquired, characterized by ischemic damage of various organs because of platelet aggregation. It is the common name for adults with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, with or without neurologic or renal abnormalities, and without another etiology; children without renal failure are also described as TTP. Plasma exchange (PE) is the main stay of treatment in combination with steroids and immunosuppressive therapies. The monoclonal antibody against CD20 Rituximab decreases the production of antibodies from B lymphocytes and it is used for antibodies-mediated diseases including TTP. We present our data on retrospective analysis of rituximab in treatment of TTP at University of Cincinnati in a series of 22 patients from 1997 to 2009. Our results showed that PE with immunosuppressive therapy resulted in decreased duration of PE, relapse rate, and increased duration of remission in patients with TTP.

Geographical clustering of pancreatic cancers in the Northeast Nile Delta region of Egypt.

The northeast Nile Delta, Egypt's most polluted region, appears to have a high incidence of pancreatic cancer. We sought to determine whether there is any geographic clustering of pancreatic cancers there and, if so, whether such clustering might be associated with environmental pollution. Using data from the medical records of the Gastrointestinal Surgical Center of Mansoura University in the Dakahleia Province of Egypt and detailed geographical maps of the northeast Nile Delta region, we plotted the residences of all 373 patients who had pancreatic cancer diagnosed between 1995 and 2000. The study region has 15 administrative districts, whose centroid coordinates, population, and number of pancreatic cancer patients were determined for this study. Monte Carlo simulation identified statistically significant clustering of pancreatic cancer in five subdivisions located near the Nile River and Delta plains. This clustering was independent of population size and formed two larger clusters. When data were analyzed by sex, clustering of pancreatic cancer was observed in the same five subdivisions for men but only two subdivisions showed clustering for women. Together, our data suggest that there is clustering of pancreatic cancer cases in the northeast Nile delta region and that this clustering may be related to water pollution. Our data also warrant future studies of the association between water pollution and pancreatic cancer in the region.