A dual compartment peripheral blood signature of soluble and membrane-bound immune checkpoints predicts outcome in lymphoma patients.

Lymphomas, particularly aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), remain challenging due to poor outcomes in a subset of patients who fail initial therapy. Current minimally invasive biomarkers for risk stratification need further improvement. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), while with limited efficacy in NHL, highlight the immune system's crucial role in cancer control.

Anticancer activity of triterpene glycosides from the sea star Solaster pacificus.

Marine triterpene glycosides are known to exhibit significant anticancer activity. We investigated pacificusoside C and cucumariosides C and C isolated from a sea star Solaster pacificus in prostate cancer models with varying drug resistance and in non-cancerous cells in vitro. Cucumarioside C showed selectivity comparable to cisplatin, whereas the other compounds were less selective.

Activity of CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma with extramedullary involvement.

Extramedullary multiple myeloma (EMD) is associated with low response rates, short progression-free survival, and poor prognosis. CAR T cells and bispecific antibodies (bsABs) have shown efficacy in relapsed myeloma, but it remains uncertain whether one T cell redirection strategy should be preferred. We retrospectively analyzed 80 patients with EMD not adjacent to the bone treated with ide-cel, cilta-cel, teclistamab, or talquetamab at three academic centers in Germany.

Cardiac biomarkers for risk stratification in newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma in the GMMG-CONCEPT trial.

Cardiovascular adverse events (CVAE) are clinically relevant side effects during treatment with the proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib. We investigated the predictive value of cardiac biomarkers for onset of CVAE in patients with newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma treated with isatuximab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in the GMMG-CONCEPT study (NCT03104842). Patients included in this prospective, multicenter correlative study were eligible if a serum sample before treatment initiation and at ≥ 1 later study time point were available.

A qualitative interview study on psycho-oncologists' experiences with patient deaths in Germany.

Despite regular exposure to patient deaths, little research has explored how psycho-oncologists experience and cope with these events. This study examined the unique challenges faced by psycho-oncologists in Germany, aiming to contribute to the broader understanding of professional grief and its impact on healthcare professionals' mental health and well-being. We conducted 25 semi-structured interviews with psycho-oncologists.

Downregulation of S6 Kinase and Hedgehog-Gli1 by Inhibition of Fatty Acid Synthase in AML with FLT3-ITD Mutation.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy associated with a poor prognosis. Activating mutations in the FLT3 gene occur in approximately 30% of AML cases, with internal tandem duplications in the juxtamembrane domain (FLT3-ITD; 75%) and mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3-TKD; 25%). FLT3-ITD mutations are linked to poor prognosis and offer significant clinical predictive value, whereas the implications of FLT3-TKD mutations are less understood.

A longitudinal analysis on alcohol consumption in patients with cancer undergoing psycho-oncological treatment.

The negative impact of alcohol consumption on cancer development and progression is well-established in oncologic research, yet it receives surprisingly little attention from patients with cancer, the public, and even oncology professionals. A cancer diagnosis can lead to significant psychological distress, including high levels of depression and anxiety. For patients with cancer experiencing high levels of psychological burden, psycho-oncological care is available to help manage these symptoms and the overall impact of their condition.

Streamlining and Accelerating the Molecular Tumor Board Process at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.

Background: We developed, introduced, and evaluated Molecular ONcology Optimized CLinical Evaluation (MONOCLE), a secure, open-source web application at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), to optimize the analysis and discussion of complex cancer cases in molecular tumor boards (MTB).

Objective: MONOCLE standardizes and harmonizes documentation, while its integrated Knowledge Connector accelerates literature research for personalized treatment.

Patients And Methods: The system was designed by merging the requirements of the German Network for Personalized Medicine (DNPM), the medical staff involved in the MTB process, and the team developing MONOCLE.

Last Resort? Rationale for Comprehensive Molecular Analysis in Treatment-Refractory R/M HNSCC: A Case Report of Remarkable Response to Sacituzumab Govitecan Following Molecular and Functional Characterization.

: In recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC), the overall prognosis is poor, and systemic treatment options remain limited. While precision therapy approaches have revolutionized treatment strategies in several tumor types, molecularly informed therapies in R/M HNSCC are rare, primarily due to the low number of actionable genetic alterations identified through next-generation sequencing (NGS) panels. There is an urgent need to establish precision therapy approaches in R/M HNSCC using innovative predictive testing.

Checkpoint Inhibitors, CAR T Cells, and the Hemostatic System: What Do We Know So Far?

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are novel therapeutic strategies that enhance anticancer immunity by activating or engineering cancer-targeting T cells. The resulting hyperinflammation carries several side effects, ranging from autoimmune-like symptoms to cytokine release syndrome (CRS), with potentially severe consequences. Recent findings indicate that ICIs increase the risk of venous and arterial thromboembolic adverse events.

6-[(1,4-Naphthoquinone-2-yl)methyl]thio-Glucose Conjugates, a Novel Targeted Approach for Advanced Prostate Cancer.

The Warburg effect is a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to anaerobic glycolysis, accompanied by an enormous increase in glucose uptake into cancer cells. We have utilized this effect to design a new group of targeted 1,4-naphthoquinone-glucose derivatives conjugated with a novel thiomethylene linker that are cytotoxic to prostate cancer cells. Compound PeS-9 revealed the highest efficacy and selectivity, which was conditioned by a GLUT-1-mediated uptake.

Associations between early tumor shrinkage/depth of response and survival from the ARCAD database.

Background: Early tumor shrinkage and depth of response have emerged as potential prognostic indicators in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). However, their associations with overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), and postprogression survival in patients receiving anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies or bevacizumab remain unclear.

Methods: We analyzed 3219 treatment-naive patients with RAS wild-type metastatic CRC from 8 randomized studies (CRYSTAL, OPUS, PRIME, CAIRO2, CALGB80405, WJOG4407G, ATOM, PARADIGM) in the Aid and Research in Digestive Cancerology database.

Expression of the TIGIT axis and the CD39/CD73 purinergic pathway in bone metastasis-derived immune cells.

Background: Bone metastases (BM) represent one of the most common sites of metastasis. The study aimed to compare the composition of immune cell infiltration from aspirates of different BM prior to systemic therapy.

Method: Phenotypic and functional analyses were conducted via multiparametric flow cytometry (MFC) on BM-derived aspirates obtained from patients with breast cancer (BC, n = 6), patients with prostate cancer (PC, n = 5), patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (n = 7), patients with myeloma (MM, n = 10) and bone aspirates from age-matched non-malignant controls (NMC, n = 10).

Advancing the implementation of quality-assured oncological exercise therapy in Germany: protocol for the IMPLEMENT project.

Background: Although quality-assured oncological exercise therapy (qOET) has proven effective for cancer patients at any stage of treatment and during aftercare, it is not yet incorporated into standard care in Germany and, to the best of our knowledge, in any other country. A collaboration involving eight German research institutions was initiated to investigate the barriers and facilitators to implementation and promote the wider dissemination of qOET for cancer patients across various settings in Germany.

Methods: The IMPLEMENT project is designed as an exploratory study with a quasi-experimental design and a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection.

Autologous T cell therapy for PRAME advanced solid tumors in HLA-A*02 patients: a phase 1 trial.

In contrast to chimeric antigen receptor T cells, T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells can target intracellular tumor-associated antigens crucial for treating solid tumors. However, most trials published so far show limited clinical activity. Here we report interim data from a first-in-human, multicenter, open-label, 3 + 3 dose-escalation/de-escalation phase 1 trial studying IMA203, an autologous preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME)-directed TCR T cell therapy in HLA-A*02 patients with PRAME recurrent and/or refractory solid tumors, including melanoma and sarcoma.

Real-World Data on Outcome of Burkitt Lymphoma and Burkitt Leukemia Treated According to the GMALL B-ALL/NHL 2002 Protocol: A Tertiary Center Experience.

Introduction: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) or leukemia represents a highly aggressive B-cell malignancy requiring intense therapy. Although various different protocols have emerged, few real-world data exist for the GMALL B-ALL/NHL 2002 regimen. Comparative analyses remain challenging because of the disease's rarity.

Functional Role of Fatty Acid Synthase for Signal Transduction in Core-Binding Factor Acute Myeloid Leukemia with an Activating c-Kit Mutation.

: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare hematological malignancy with a poor prognosis. Activating c-Kit (CD117) mutations occur in 5% of de novo AML and 30% of core-binding factor (CBF) AML, leading to worse clinical outcomes. Posttranslational modifications, particularly with myristic and palmitic acid, are crucial for various cellular processes, including membrane organization, signal transduction, and apoptosis regulation.

Excess mortality of critically ill patients aged ≥90 years in intensive care units: A retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: The number of elderly patients (≥90 years) admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) is continuously increasing. Survival estimations that differentiate into population and excess mortality are lacking but might be warranted given the higher baseline mortality in this group.

Methods: We evaluated excess mortality and risk factors in 1076 ICU patients ≥90 treated at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, from 2008 to 2019 by relative survival analysis.

Existential distress in advanced cancer: A cohort study.

Objective: Clinically significant existential distress may impair quality of life and communication about illness. We investigated the presence of existential distress in the form of demoralization, death anxiety, and dignity-related distress, and its co-occurrence with mental disorders in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: We conducted structured clinical interviews and administered self-report questionnaires to assess existential distress and mental disorders.

Outcome of critically ill patients receiving systemic chemotherapy on the intensive care unit.

Objective: Analyze the outcomes of critically ill patients who developed new-onset organ dysfunction and received systemic chemotherapy during their ICU stay.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A tertiary medical center in Germany with an Intensive Care Medicine department consists of 11 intensive care units comprising 140 beds, serving all subspecialties of adult intensive care medicine.

Identification and characterization of tumor and stromal derived liquid biopsy analytes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: The lack of predictive biomarkers contributes notably to the poor outcomes of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the key components of the prominent PDAC stroma. Data on clinical relevance of CAFs entering the bloodstream, known as circulating CAFs (cCAFs) are scarce.