Updates in the Management of Paraneoplastic Syndrome.

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are defined as remote neurologic immune-mediated effects triggered by underlying systemic tumors. While recognizing specific syndromes can aid early cancer detection, overutilization of paraneoplastic assays in the absence of a classic syndrome can precipitate overdiagnosis and overtreatment. PNS involve autoantibodies targeting intracellular or extracellular antigens, with variable immunotherapy responses based on antigen type. Diagnosing PNS is challenging, requiring exclusion of other differential diagnoses. New diagnostic criteria classify PNS into high-risk and intermediate-risk phenotypes based on clinical phenotype, neuronal antibodies, and cancer presence. Patients with cell surface antibodies respond better to immunotherapies compared to those with intracellular antigen targets. Understanding PNS syndromes, serological markers, and oncological features guides management, which facilitates initiation of immunosuppression for PNS alongside treatment of the underlying neoplasm, thereby improving neurologic and oncologic outcomes. Initial treatments often include intravenous methylprednisolone, plasma exchange, or intravenous immunoglobulins. Second-line immunosuppressants like rituximab or cyclophosphamide may be necessary if initial treatments fail. Specific therapies vary based on antibody target. Here, we summarize the current approach to the investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with suspected PNS.

Clinical and descriptive characteristics associated with high-grade meningioma in a large clinical series.

PURPOSE: We studied 571 patients with intracranial meningioma for clinical characteristics and tumor location associated with high grade meningioma (WHO II/III). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were participants in a multicentre epidemiologic study of risk factors for primary brain tumors including meningioma recruited from September 2005 to November 2019. We included patients 18 or older with a recent diagnosis of a primary intracranial meningioma of any subtype (ICD9/10: 9530-0, 9531-0, 9532-0, 9537-0, 9533-0, 9534-0, 9530-0, 9538-1, 9538-3) who were enrolled at neuro-oncology and neuro-surgery clinics in the southeastern U.S. RESULTS: The median patient age was 58 years (IQR: 48-68) and the majority of patients were female (n = 415; 72.7%) and Caucasian (n = 516; 90.4%). Most patients were symptomatic (n = 460; 80.6%) and their tumours more commonly occurred in a non-skull base location (n = 298; 52.2%). A total of 86 patients (15.0%) had a WHO grade II/III meningioma. Compared to patients with WHO grade I tumours, patients with WHO II/III meningiomas were over 3-times more likely to be male (odds ratio (OR): 3.25; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.98, 5.35) adjusting for age, race, symptomatic presentation, and skull-based location. Moreover, a WHO grade II/III meningioma was substantially less likely to be observed in asymptomatic patients (OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.42), and in patients with a skull-based tumour (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.66), adjusting for other factors. Male gender, symptomatic tumour, and a non-skull base location were independently associated with WHO grade II/III meningioma. CONCLUSION: These findings may shed additional light on the underlying pathogenesis of meningioma.

Patient satisfaction and cost savings analysis of the telemedicine program within a neuro-oncology department.

PURPOSE: Unique challenges exist in the utilization of telemedicine for neurological and surgical specialties. We examined the differences in patient satisfaction for telemedicine versus in-person visits within a Neuro-Oncology Program to assess whether there was a difference between surgical and medical specialties. We also examined the potential cost savings benefits of utilizing telemedicine. METHODS: 1189 Press Ganey surveys in the Department of Neuro-Oncology (982 in-person and 207 telemedicine) by surgical and medical neuro-oncology patients between 04/01/2020 and 06/30/2021 were reviewed. Survey results were divided into 4 categories (Access, Provider, Technology (telemedicine only), and Overall Satisfaction). Results were analyzed for the impact of telemedicine versus in-person visits, and gender, age, insurance, and specialty. Cost savings were calculated based on potential travel distance and lost productivity. RESULTS: Survey results from telemedicine visits demonstrated that patients with private insurance returned higher scores in the Provider (p = 0.0089), Technology (p = 0.00187), and Overall (p = 0.00382) categories. Surgical patients returned higher scores for Access (p = 0.0015), Technology (p = 0.0002), and Overall (p = 0.0019). When comparing telemedicine to in-person scores, in-person scored higher in Provider (p = 0.0092) for all patients, while in-person scored higher in Access (p = 0.0252) amongst surgical patients. Cost analysis revealed that telemedicine allowed patients to save an average of 4.1 to 5.6 h per visit time and a potential cost savings of up to $223.3 ± 171.4. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine yields equivalent patient satisfaction when employed in surgical as compared to medical Neuro-Oncology patients with the potential to lessen the financial and time burden on neuro-oncology patients.

Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation and risk of meningioma.

BACKGROUND: Risk factors for meningioma include female gender, African American race, high body mass index (BMI), and exposure to ionizing radiation. Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified two nuclear genome risk loci for meningioma (rs12770228 and rs2686876), the relation between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variants and meningioma is unknown. METHODS: We examined the association of 42 common germline mtDNA variants (minor allele frequency ≥ 5%), haplogroups, and genes with meningioma in 1080 controls and 478 meningioma cases from a case-control study conducted at medical centers in the southeastern United States. Associations were examined separately for meningioma overall and by WHO grade (n = 409 grade I and n = 69 grade II/III). RESULTS: Overall, meningioma was significantly associated with being female (OR 2.85; 95% CI 2.21-3.69), self-reported African American race (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.41-3.99), and being overweight (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.11-1.97) or obese (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.25-2.31). The variant m.16362T > C (rs62581341) in the mitochondrial control region was positively associated with grade II/III meningiomas (OR 2.33; 95% CI 1.14-4.77), but not grade I tumors (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.64-1.53). Haplogroup L, a marker for African ancestry, was associated with meningioma overall (OR 2.92; 95% CI 1.01-8.44). However, after stratifying by self-reported race, this association was only apparent among the few self-reported Caucasians with this haplogroup (OR 6.35; 95% CI 1.56-25.9). No other mtDNA variant, haplogroup, or gene was associated with meningioma. CONCLUSION: Common mtDNA variants and major mtDNA haplogroups do not appear to have associations with the odds of developing meningioma.

Clinical outcomes of breast leptomeningeal disease treated with intrathecal trastuzumab, intrathecal chemotherapy, or whole brain radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: Leptomeningeal disease is a rare presentation of advanced metastatic breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate craniospinal progression between intrathecal (IT) trastuzumab, IT chemotherapy, and whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in leptomeningeal disease. METHODS: A total of 56 patients were identified with breast cancer leptomeningeal disease at our institution treated with IT trastuzumab (n = 18; 32%), single-agent IT chemotherapy (methotrexate n = 14 or thiotepa n = 1; 27%), or WBRT alone (n = 23; 41%). Patients were treated beginning November 2012 and followed until November 2018. RESULTS: Median time from breast cancer diagnosis to development of leptomeningeal disease was 4.3 years. There were no significant differences noted between IT trastuzumab, IT chemotherapy, or WBRT groups in age (p = 0.4), Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (p = 0.07), or receipt of systemic therapy at time of leptomeningeal disease treatment (p = 0.47). Median follow-up of patients from leptomeningeal diagnosis was 5 months (range 0.2-81.1 months). Significant differences were noted in Kaplan-Meier (KM) craniospinal progression-free survival (CS-PFS) with 6-month rates of 44%, 18%, and 26% (p = 0.04) between IT trastuzumab, IT chemotherapy, and WBRT, respectively. Craniospinal control > 10 months was achieved in four patients treated with IT trastuzumab. Twelve-month KM OS rates were 54%, 10%, and 19% (p = 0.01) between IT trastuzumab, IT chemotherapy, and WBRT groups, respectively. IT therapy was adequately tolerated with three patients undergoing treatment-related hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: In our institutional series, significant differences were noted in CS-PFS and OS by treatment modality. IT trastuzumab should be considered in the management HER2+ breast leptomeningeal disease.

Intrathecal trastuzumab in the management of HER2+ breast leptomeningeal disease: a single institution experience.

PURPOSE: Leptomeningeal disease is a rare and devastating presentation of advanced stage metastatic breast cancer with historically poor overall survival. We assessed the safety and feasibility of intrathecal (IT) trastuzumab in HER2+ leptomeningeal disease. METHODS: A total of 13 patients were treated at our institution with IT trastuzumab beginning November 2012 and followed until November 2017. Outcomes including craniospinal progression as well as overall survival (OS) following initiation of IT trastuzumab were assessed from review of the clinical chart and radiologic examinations. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 48 (range 29-75). Median time from breast cancer diagnosis to development of brain metastases was 87.7 months with a median of 4.6 months from brain metastases diagnosis to the development of leptomeningeal disease. Previous whole brain radiotherapy was received by the majority of patients (92%) and prior surgery for brain metastases was performed in 23%. Median duration of IT trastuzumab treatment was 6.4 months. Median time from IT trastuzumab start to craniospinal progression was 5.7 months with 6- and 12-month Kaplan-Meier rates of 41 and 21%, respectively. Sustained responses > 6 months were achieved in 4 patients. Median survival from the start of IT trastuzumab was 10.6 months with 6- and 12-month OS rates of 68 and 47%, respectively. IT trastuzumab was well tolerated with one patient developing ventriculitis, which resolved with IV antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: IT trastuzumab was well tolerated with prolongation of OS over historical controls. IT trastuzumab should be considered for management of HER2+ leptomeningeal disease patients.

Assessing Response of High-Grade Gliomas to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapeutic agents, especially checkpoint inhibitors, have emerged as the mainstay of therapy for several solid and hematological malignancies. These therapies are under investigation for the treatment of high-grade gliomas and brain metastases. METHODS: This article reviews the unique challenges encountered when evaluating changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of glioblastomas seen in response to immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors and how to effectively incorporate MRI findings into the response assessment of high-grade gliomas to these emerging therapies. RESULTS: An increase in tumor size or the appearance of new lesions on MRI may represent either an immune-mediated inflammatory response or true tumor progression, which may precede the subsequent stabilization or response of high-grade gliomas to immunotherapy. These MRI findings should not result in the mandatory cessation of immunotherapy in patients with high-grade glioma. CONCLUSIONS: Although immunotherapy Response Assessment for Neuro-Oncology criteria have been developed to assist with response assessment of high-grade gliomas to immunotherapy and to provide guidance with treatment decisions, these criteria have not been validated in prospective clinical trials. In patients with brain tumors who are receiving immunotherapy, MRI findings suggestive of disease progression should be evaluated with caution to prevent premature discontinuation of potentially beneficial therapies. Close, clinical monitoring with appropriate short-term, follow-up imaging is often necessary, and histopathological analysis may be required in some cases to confirm disease progression before a decision on continuation of these novel therapies can accurately be made.

Epstein­Barr virus­associated primary central nervous system lymphoma in an immunosuppressed patient with a comorbid autoimmune disorder: A case report.

Patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) typically present with non-focal neurological symptoms, including disorientation, poor balance and memory loss with unifocal or multifocal periventricular lesions seen on MRI. Deviations from these characteristic findings can delay diagnosis and lead to additional diagnostic tests being needed. The present study reports a 68-year-old man with a recent varicella zoster infection and history of acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive myasthenia gravis who received mycophenolate mofetil for 22 years. He presented with left eye vision changes and cognitive memory deficits. A brain MRI showed an enhancing lesion within his left medulla extending to the cerebellum. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and negative for malignancy. He was diagnosed with varicella zoster virus vasculopathy. At 3 months later, a repeat brain MRI showed multiple new enhancing lesions developing bilaterally along the periventricular white matter. Soon after, he presented to a local ER with acute left-sided blurry vision and worsening memory loss, and he began receiving steroids. Because of rapid symptom progression, he underwent resection of the left frontal lesion, which showed EBV-induced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Mycophenolate mofetil was discontinued, and within 24 h of one dose of intravenous 500 mg/m2 rituximab, he had a dramatic improvement in left eye vision and memory loss. He experienced mixed responses to rituximab after 3 cycles. Following one dose of high-dose methotrexate, he developed subsequent chronic kidney disease and required dialysis. He received whole-brain radiation therapy with craniospinal radiation and is currently in complete remission. An EBV-induced DLBCL diagnosis should be highly considered for patients with periventricular lesions and EBV-positive cerebrospinal fluid. Misdiagnosis or delay in PCNSL diagnosis because of atypical features in disease presentation and radiographic findings could lead to PCNSL progression and worsening neurological deficits.

Leukoencephalopathy During Daratumumab-Based Therapy: A Case Series of Two Patients with Multiple Myeloma.

Leukoencephalopathy in the setting of multiple myeloma (MM) is a rare demyelinating condition, with few reported cases in literature. Daratumumab is a CD38 targeted monoclonal antibody that has been widely used for the management of MM. In the absence of central nervous system (CNS) disease, many medication-induced leukoencephalopathy cases reported with MM, including daratumumab-induced, are associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and John Cunningham (JC) virus. Currently, there are no reported cases of daratumumab-induced leukoencephalopathy among patients without CNS involvement or PML. We discuss 2 patients who developed leukoencephalopathy while receiving daratumumab-based therapy without evidence of PML or CNS disease. Both patients had baseline MRIs without significant white matter changes before daratumumab-based therapy. Patients began experiencing neurological deficits about 6 to 8 months after daratumumab-based therapy initiation. One patient passed away before being assessed for improvement of symptoms with daratumumab cessation. The second patient had some stabilization of symptoms after cessation; however, the leukoencephalopathy remained irreversible. As the class of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies expands in MM therapy, we highlight a potential treatment complication and the importance of detecting leukoencephalopathy early among patients receiving anti-CD38 therapy. We recommend vigilant monitoring of any new or worsening neurological symptoms to avoid serious complications of irreversible leukoencephalopathy.

NTRK3 gene fusion in an adult ganglioglioma: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Gangliogliomas are well-differentiated, slow-growing glioneuronal neoplasms frequently reported to harbor upregulating alterations in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, particularly serine-threonine protein kinase B-RAF alterations. Fusions involving neurotrophin tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) genes have rarely been reported in ganglioglioma. Similarly, echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like (EML) 4 gene fusion has been described in lung cancer, but none has been reported in ganglioglioma. OBSERVATIONS: This report discusses the care of a 72-year-old man presenting with medication-refractory, left-sided focal seizures who was found to have a nongadolinium-enhancing, T2-hyperintense, right frontoparietal lesion. The patient received resection, and histological analysis found a World Health Organization grade I ganglioglioma, with genetic analysis demonstrating an EML4-NTRK3 gene fusion protein. LESSONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of an NTRK3 fusion, EML4-NTRK3, in an adult ganglioglioma, which is otherwise mostly associated with BRAF alterations and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Further studies are needed to elucidate the function of the resultant fusion protein and determine whether it may serve as a future therapeutic target.

Revisiting the Concept of Recurrence of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphomas After Complete Response to Methotrexate-Based Therapy: Periventricular Reseeding as the Predominant Mechanism of Recurrence.

Purpose: Understanding patterns of relapse for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) may inform mechanisms of recurrence and optimal consolidation strategies. In this study, we report patterns of relapse among patients with PCNSL who achieved a complete response to high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based chemotherapy with or without consolidation radiation therapy (RT). Methods and Materials: We conducted an institutional retrospective analysis of patients with PCNSL who received HD-MTX-based chemotherapy between November 2001 and May 2019. Relapses were characterized as in-field (within original T1 contrasted lesion), marginal (within T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery but not T1), local (in-field or marginal), distant brain (no overlap), or distant (distant brain, cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous or extra-axial) and further characterized with respect to periventricular location (≤10 mm of ventricles). Results: Seventy-eight patients with PCNSL met inclusion criteria, of whom 29 (37%) underwent consolidation RT. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 57.0 and 66.7 months, respectively. After a median follow-up of 38.9 months, a total of 32 patients (41%) experienced recurrence. Most patients (21 [65.6%]) had a periventricular failure. Surprisingly, local recurrences (n = 11) were exclusively observed within periventricular lesions, whereas distant recurrences (n = 21) were seen in both periventricular and nonperiventricular locations (P = .009). The median time to progression was shorter for locally recurrent lesions compared with distant recurrences (13.8 vs 26.1 months; P = .03). Conclusions: After complete response to HD-MTX, few failures occurred within initial T1 contrast-enhancing lesions and many of these may have been alternatively classified as periventricular failures. These observations argue against the use of purely focal RT consolidation for patients who achieve a complete response after HD-MTX-based chemotherapy and suggest that periventricular reseeding may have a central role in PCNSL recurrence.

Surgical and anatomic factors predict development of leptomeningeal disease in patients with melanoma brain metastases.

BACKGROUND: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a devastating complication of systemic malignancy, of which there is an unclear etiology. The aim of this study is to determine if surgical or anatomic factors can predict LMD in patients with metastatic melanoma. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of 1162 patients treated at single institution for melanoma brain metastases (MBM). Patients with fewer than 3 months follow-up or lacking appropriate imaging were excluded. Demographic information, surgical, and anatomic data were collected. RESULTS: Eight hundred and twenty-seven patients were included in the final review. On multivariate analysis for the entire cohort, female gender, dural-based and intraventricular metastasis, and tumor bordering CSF spaces were associated with increased risk of LMD. Surgical resection was not significant for risk of LMD. On multivariate analysis of patients who have undergone surgical resection of a metastatic tumor, dural-based and intraventricular metastasis, ventricular entry during surgery, and metastasis in the infratentorial space were associated with increased risk of LMD. On multivariate analysis of patients who did not undergo surgery, chemotherapy after initial diagnosis and metastasis bordering CSF spaces were associated with increased risk of LMD. CONCLUSION: In a single-institution cohort of MBM, we found that surgical resection alone did not result in an increased risk of LMD. Anatomical factors such as dural-based and intraventricular metastasis were significant for developing LMD, as well as entry into a CSF space during surgical resection. These data suggest a strong correlation between anatomic location and tumor cell seeding in relation to the development of LMD.

Change in Patients' Perceived Cognition Following Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Lymphoma.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy can lead to durable responses in patients with relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies. Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) are common and may place patients at risk for longer-term cognitive impairment. This study examined changes in cognition in the first year after CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy for lymphoma, as well as CAR T-cell therapy-specific risk-factors (e.g., ICANS, CRS) and nonspecific risk factors (e.g., baseline quality of life, frailty) for worsening cognition. Patients' perceived cognition was assessed at baseline and at days 90 and 360. Clinical variables were abstracted from medical records. Piecewise mixed models were used to examine acute change (i.e., within 90 days) and longer-term change (i.e., from 90 days to 360 days) in cognition, as well as to explore risk factors for worsening cognition. Among 118 participants (mean age 61, 59% male), mean levels of perceived cognition did not change from baseline to day 90 (P> .05) but worsened from day 90 to day 360 in global cognition and in the domains of memory, language, organization, and divided attention (P< .05). Although statistically significant, changes were small (d values 0.15-0.28). Greater baseline fatigue, anxiety, and depression were associated with worse global cognition at day 90 (P< .01). Patients with more severe ICANS post-CART reported worse global cognition at day 360 (P< .05), although there were no differences in perceived cognition by severity of CRS (P> .05). Other putative risk factors were not associated with acute or longer-term changes in perceived cognition (P> .05). CAR T-cell therapy recipients reported delayed deterioration in several cognitive domains, although changes were small. These findings may be useful when educating future patients on what to expect when receiving CAR T-cell therapy.

Change in Neurocognitive Performance Among Patients with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the First Year after Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy.

The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in treating patients with relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies is leading to a growing number of survivors treated with this regimen. To our knowledge, no previous studies have examined neurocognitive performance in adult CAR T cell therapy recipients, despite high rates of neurotoxicity and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in the acute treatment period. This study examined changes in neurocognitive performance in the first year after CAR T cell therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Putative risk factors for worsening neurocognitive performance (eg, neurotoxicity, CRS) were explored as well. Neurocognition was assessed before initiation of CAR T cell therapy and at 30, 90, and 360 days post-treatment. Clinical variables were abstracted from medical records. Mixed models were used to examine change in total neurocognitive performance (TNP) and cognitive domains (ie, attention, executive function, verbal ability, immediate and delayed memory, and visuospatial abilities). Among 117 participants (mean age, 61 years; 62% male), TNP and executive function declined slightly on average from baseline to day 90 and then improved from day 90 to day 360 (P < .04). Small but significant linear declines in visuospatial ability on average were also observed over time (P = .03). Patients who had 4 or more lines of previous therapy and those with worse neurotoxicity (but not CRS) demonstrated worse TNP. CAR T cell therapy recipients reported transient or persistent deterioration in several cognitive domains, although changes were slight. These findings may be useful when educating future patients on what to expect when receiving CAR T cell therapy.

Fingerprints as an index for investigating cooperation by children in dentistry: a pilot study.

Behavioral management and patient cooperation are very important in pediatric dentistry. Some studies have indicated that individual behavior can vary in terms of fingerprint patterns (loop, whorl, and arch). Therefore, fingerprint patterns might help to predict the extent of cooperation by children during dental procedures. The present study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between fingerprint patterns and cooperation by children. In this pilot investigation, 51 children aged 3-6 years were examined. The children meeting the inclusion criteria in the first visit were scheduled for a dental procedure in the second visit. Another examiner assessed children's behavior during the dental procedure according to the designed questionnaire and based on the Frankl scale. A third examiner, along with the second examiner, randomly evaluated the children's behavior to determine the inter-examiner agreement. The subjects were categorized as cooperative or uncooperative during dental procedures, according to the Frankel questionnaire. The fingerprints of all subjects were recorded, and the data were compared with SPSS 21 using the chi-squared test at a significance level of P < 0.05. The uncooperative and cooperative groups consisted of 20 and 31 children, respectively. The main fingerprint pattern in the uncooperative children was the whorl; while in the cooperative group, it was the loop. This difference in the fingerprint effect was significant between the groups (P = 0.01). The arch type exhibited the minimum frequency and was not significantly different between the groups. The current findings revealed a relationship between fingerprint type and children's behavior during dental treatment.

Rituximab for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Myasthenia Gravis.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (iCPI) in the treatment of multiple cancers has gained prominence due to their high efficacy. However, neurological immune-related adverse events (irAEs) such as myasthenia gravis (MG) have been associated with iCPI therapy. Most of these neurological irAEs are rare, and in many cases, their diagnoses and management can be challenging.  We present a case of a 70-year-old woman with stage IIIC melanoma who developed a new onset of gradually progressive dyspnea, diplopia, and bilateral ptosis following treatment with one cycle of nivolumab and ipilimumab (Nivo+Ipi). She was diagnosed with MG via positive serum acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies. She had developed a severe dyspnea at rest, which was refractory to multiple immune-suppressive therapies including prednisone, pyridostigmine, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Subsequently, she was treated with rituximab 375 mg/m2 monthly every four weeks with significant improvement of her symptoms within 48 hours each time. As the implementation of immunotherapy increases in medical practice, irAEs may become more apparent. When first-line therapies are not adequate, other alternative therapies should be explored. This case of MG as an irAE shows that rituximab can provide a potential benefit to treating patients with immunotherapy-induced MG who are refractory to other standard treatments. Prospective studies are needed to further evaluate the efficacy of rituximab in the management of irAEs.

Investigating the reasons for students' attendance in and absenteeism from lecture classes and educational planning to improve the situation.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the reasons for the students' attendance in and absenteeism from lecture classes from the perspective of professors, students, and educational planning to change the unsatisfactory status quo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a narrow needs assessment survey which was performed on students (n = 70) of the Faculty of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, in four stages. In the first stage, the opinions of professors and students about the reasons for absenteeism from the lecture classes were collected. In the second stage, the results of the first stage were discussed by an expert panel to find solutions for the problem. The results of the survey were tabulated, summarized, and discussed. In the third stage, online classes were held as one of the solutions and evaluated in the fourth stage. RESULTS: The results showed that various factors, such as professor empowerment, evaluation system, audiovisual equipment of the classes, educational curriculum, and class schedules, are associated with the students' attendance in the classes. Along with these factors, one of the most important reasons for students' absenteeism from classes in recent years might be the generational differences of students. The evaluation of online classes showed that the ratio of the number of students who actively participated in the online classes to the number of students participating in the online classes varied from 30% to 64% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In addition to improving the factors associating students' attendance in classes, online education is a proper solution for reducing absenteeism in lecture classes and increasing students' active participation from the perspective of professors and students.

Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus crispatus Do Not Have Cytotoxic Effects on HN5 Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line.

BACKGROUND: The oral environment has a very complex normal flora and a wide variety of bacteria including lactobacilli. Studies have shown oral microbial flora has important influence in the development of oral cancer. Squamous cell carcinomas account for more than 90% of cancers in oral cavity. Lactobacilli are known as one of the newest methods for the prevention and treatment of cancers. Previous studies on the effects of probiotics on oral cancer cells are very limited, and only two species of Lactobacillus which are not present in the normal oral microflora have been studied. Due to the unknown effects of lactobacilli on oral cancer, this study aimed to investigate the effect of two species of lactobacilli of oral cavity on oral cancer cells. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The effects of the supernatant of two lactobacilli, namely, fermentum and crispatus were studied on HN5-cancer cells. The MTT method was used to study the effects of lactobacilli on inhibition of cancer cell growth. RESULTS: The results showed that these lactobacilli do not prevent the progression of oral cancer cells. Moreover, the results showed that the acidic medium had the most effect on reducing the growth of oral cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Due to the different effects of lactobacilli on various cancer types, the effects of two Lactobacillus crispatus and Lactobacillus fermentum on other oral cancer cell lines may be different from what has been reported in this study.

A Prospective Validation Study of the First 3D Digital Exoscope for Visualization of 5-ALA-Induced Fluorescence in High-Grade Gliomas.

BACKGROUND: We report on the first use of a digital 3-dimensional (3D) exoscope equipped with a 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence visual system. METHODS: We conducted a prospective clinical trial to evaluate the utility and sensitivity/specificity of the Olympus Orbeye 3D digital exoscope when used to visualize 5-ALA-induced fluorescence in patients with high-grade glioma undergoing a clinically indicated craniotomy. At least 2 tissue samples were each obtained from regions of strong, weak. and no fluorescence and evaluated in a blinded manner by a neuropathologist. RESULTS: Twenty patients were enrolled. Intraoperative fluorescence was observed in 100% of subjects. One hundred twenty-one surgical specimens were collected for histopathological analysis; 40 with strong, 40 weak, and 41 with no visible fluorescence. Histopathology demonstrated 62.8% of samples (n = 76) contained abundant, 20.7% (n = 25) scarce, and 16.5% (n = 20) no tumor cells. Thirty-three of the 40 specimens (82.5%) in the strong fluorescence group correlated with abundant tumor cells and 7 (17.5%) with scarce. Twenty-nine of the 40 specimens (72.5%) in the weak fluorescence group correlated with abundant tumor cells, 7 (17.5%) with scarce, and 4 (10%) with none. Fourteen of the 41 (34.2%) specimens in the no fluorescence group had abundant tumor cells, 11 (26.8%) had scarce, and 16 (39%) had none. The sensitivity was 75% and specificity was 80%. The positive predictive value was 95% and negative predictive value was 39%. CONCLUSIONS: Visualization of 5-ALA-induced tumor fluorescence with use of the Orbeye 3D digital exoscope was feasible and associated with a high positive predictive value.

Hypofractionated stereotactic re-irradiation with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas: results from a phase I study.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy may synergize with programmed cell death 1 (PD1)/PD1 ligand (PD-L1) blockade. The purpose of this study was to determine the recommended phase II dose, safety/tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of combining pembrolizumab, an anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody, with hypofractionated stereotactic irradiation (HFSRT) and bevacizumab in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGGs). METHODS: Eligible subjects with recurrent glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma were treated with pembrolizumab (100 or 200 mg based on dose level Q3W) concurrently with HFSRT (30 Gy in 5 fractions) and bevacizumab 10 mg/kg Q2W. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were enrolled (bevacizumab-naïve, n = 24; bevacizumab-resistant, n = 8). The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were proteinuria (40.6%), fatigue (25%), increased alanine aminotransferase (25%), and hypertension (25%). TRAEs leading to discontinuation occurred in 1 patient who experienced a grade 3 elevation of aspartate aminotransferase. In the bevacizumab-naïve cohort, 20 patients (83%) had a complete response or partial response. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 13.45 months (95% CI: 9.46-18.46) and 7.92 months (95% CI: 6.31-12.45), respectively. In the bevacizumab-resistant cohort, PR was achieved in 5 patients (62%). Median OS was 9.3 months (95% CI: 8.97-18.86) with a median PFS of 6.54 months (95% CI: 5.95-18.86). The majority of patients (n = 20/26; 77%) had tumor-cell/tumor-microenvironment PD-L1 expression <1%. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of HFSRT with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab in patients with recurrent HGG is generally safe and well tolerated. These findings merit further investigation of HFSRT with immunotherapy in HGGs.