Impact of Population Pharmacogenomics on Cisplatin-Induced Neurotoxicities in Testicular Cancer Survivors.

Background: Cisplatin is a commonly used chemotherapeutic across numerous cancer types that can cause neurotoxicities in patients, including peripheral sensory neuropathy, tinnitus, hearing loss, and vertigo.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate, for the first time, how genetic ancestry impacts cisplatin-induced neurotoxicities and if disparities are related to population differences in allele frequency.

Methods: In a cohort of cisplatin-treated testicular cancer survivors, relationships between genetic ancestry and neurotoxicities, medications, and lifestyle factors were assessed using logistic regression and Kruskal-Wallis tests and multiple pairwise comparisons using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test (Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment).

Building Capacity and Trust through Community Engagement: Lessons Learned from a Research in Health Equity Symposium.

Background: Academic medical centers frequently recognize the importance of community engagement for advancing health equity. Yet, they often lack the infrastructure and skills needed for sustained collaboration. The 2025 Department of Medicine Research in Health Equity Symposium at the University of Rochester directly addressed this issue by focusing on community-engaged research.

Disparities in the cancer continuum experienced by transgender and gender-diverse patients: A rapid review.

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) populations experience health disparities across all areas of health care due to issues of bias, discrimination, and structural barriers to care. Existing literature on cancer screening in TGD populations demonstrates significant gaps in care; for example, transgender men receive Pap smears at lower rates than cisgender women. Because of known disparities in cancer screening, and gaps in our understanding in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, the authors conducted a rapid review of the literature to examine cancer care continuum (screening, treatment, and survivorship) disparities among TGD persons.

Factors associated with longitudinal progression of the cumulative burden of morbidity and overall mortality after cisplatin-based chemotherapy for testicular cancer.

Background: To comprehensively evaluate the longitudinal progression of cumulative burden of morbidity (CBM) in testicular cancer survivors (TCS) following standard-dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy and the impact of modifiable risk factors on morbidity and early mortality.

Methods: Participants completed first-line chemotherapy at or longer than 6 months before baseline assessments with comprehensive questionnaires and physical examinations. Based on follow-up assessments (median: 7 years later), longitudinal progression of adverse health outcomes (AHOs) and CBM score (encompassing AHO number and severity) were examined.

Cognitive function in long-term testicular cancer survivors: impact of modifiable factors.

No study has comprehensively examined associated factors (adverse health outcomes, health behaviors, and demographics) affecting cognitive function in long-term testicular cancer survivors (TC survivors). TC survivors given cisplatin-based chemotherapy completed comprehensive, validated surveys, including those that assessed cognition. Medical record abstraction provided cancer and treatment history.

Comprehensive Audiologic Analyses After Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy.

Importance: Cisplatin is highly ototoxic but widely used. Evidence is lacking regarding cisplatin-related hearing loss (CRHL) in adult-onset cancer survivors with comprehensive audiologic assessments (eg, Words-in-Noise [WIN] tests, full-spectrum audiometry, and additional otologic measures), as well as the progression of CRHL considering comorbidities, modifiable factors associated with risk, and cumulative cisplatin dose.

Objective: To assess CRHL with comprehensive audiologic assessments, including the WIN, evaluate the longitudinal progression of CRHL, and identify factors associated with risk.

High-dose vitamin D to attenuate bone loss in patients with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy: A phase 2 RCT.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) inhibits prostate cancer growth. However, ADT causes loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and an increase in fracture risk; effective interventions for ADT-induced bone loss are limited.

Methods: A phase 2 randomized controlled trial investigated the feasibility, safety, and preliminary efficacy of high-dose weekly vitamin D (HDVD, 50,000 IU/week) versus placebo for 24 weeks in patients with prostate cancer receiving ADT, with all subjects receiving 600 IU/day vitamin D and 1000 mg/day calcium.

Coverage for evidence-based cancer survivorship care services.

Purpose: The American Society of Clinical Oncology Cancer Survivorship Committee established a task force to determine which survivorship care services were being denied by public and private payers for coverage and reimbursement.

Methods: A quantitative survey instrument was developed to determine the clinical practice-reported rates of coverage denials for evidence-based cancer survivorship care services. Additionally, qualitative interviews were conducted to understand whether coverage denials were based on payer policies, cost-sharing, or prior authorization.

Adolescent and Young Adult Germ Cell Tumors: Epidemiology, Genomics, Treatment, and Survivorship.

Innovations in the care of adolescent and young adult (AYA) germ cell tumors (GCTs) are needed for one of the most common AYA cancers for which treatment has not significantly changed for several decades. Testicular GCTs (TGCTs) are the most common cancers in 15- to 39-year-old men, and ovarian GCTs (OvGCTs) are the leading gynecologic malignancies in women younger than 25 years. Excellent outcomes, even in widely metastatic disease using cisplatin-based chemotherapy, can be achieved since Einhorn and Donohue's landmark 1977 study in TGCT.

State of Cancer Care in America: Achieving Cancer Health Equity Among Sexual and Gender Minority Communities.

In 2017, ASCO issued the position statement, Strategies for Reducing Cancer Health Disparities Among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations, outlining five areas of recommendations to address the needs of both sexual and gender minority (SGM, eg, LGBTQ+) populations affected by cancer and members of the oncology workforce who identify as SGM: (1) patient education and support; (2) workforce development and diversity; (3) quality improvement strategies; (4) policy solutions; and (5) research strategies. In 2019, ASCO convened the SGM Task Force to help actualize the recommendations of the 2017 position statement. The percentage of the US population who publicly identify as SGM has increased dramatically over the past few years.

Cardiovascular Risks in Testicular Cancer: Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment.

Purpose Of Review: Testicular cancer (TC) is the leading cancer in men between 18 and 39 years of age. Current treatment involves tumor resection followed by surveillance and/or one or more lines of cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CBCT) and/or bone marrow transplant (BMT). Ten years after treatment, CBCT has been associated with significant atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and heightened rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Lack of hydroxyurea-associated mutagenesis in pediatric sickle cell disease patients.

Hydroxyurea is approved for treating children and adults with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Despite its proven efficacy, concerns remain about its mutagenic and carcinogenic potential that hamper its widespread use. Cell culture- and animal-based investigations indicate that hydroxyurea's genotoxic effects are due to indirect clastogenicity in select cell types when high dose and time thresholds are exceeded (reviewed by Ware & Dertinger, 2021).

Effect of Yoga and Mediational Influence of Fatigue on Walking, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life Among Cancer Survivors.

Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) negatively affects survivors' walking, engagement in physical activity (PA), and quality of life (QoL). Yoga is an effective therapy for treating CRF; however, evidence from large clinical trials regarding how reducing CRF through yoga influences CRF's interference with survivors' walking, engagement in PA, and QoL is not available. We examined the effects of yoga and the mediational influence of CRF on CRF's interference with walking, PA, and QoL among cancer survivors in a multicenter phase III randomized controlled trial.

Prevalence and risk factors for ototoxicity after cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Purpose: Ototoxicity is a prominent side effect of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. There are few reports, however, estimating its prevalence in well-defined cohorts and associated risk factors.

Methods: Testicular cancer (TC) survivors given first-line cisplatin-based chemotherapy completed validated questionnaires.

How to Manage Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy-Related Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Testicular Cancer.

• Patients with advanced testicular cancer receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy with a high rate of cure. • Cisplatin-based chemotherapy increases risks of acute vascular complications among testicular cancer survivors. • Cisplatin-based chemotherapy increases cardiovascular disease risk factors and cardiovascular disease among testicular cancer survivors.

Comprehensive association analysis of speech recognition thresholds after cisplatin-based chemotherapy in survivors of adult-onset cancer.

Purpose: Deficits in speech understanding constitute one of the most severe consequences of hearing loss. Here we investigate the clinical and genetic risk factors for symmetric deterioration of speech recognition thresholds (SRT) among cancer survivors treated with cisplatin.

Methods: SRT was measured using spondaic words and calculating the mean of measurements for both ears with symmetric SRT values.

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Post-acute Care Use and Post-surgical Outcomes in Urologic Cancer Surgery.

Objective: To evaluate association between Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) participation of hospitals on post-acute care (PAC) use and spending, and post-surgical outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries undergoing urologic cancer surgeries. Despite increasing prevalence of urologic cancer and surgical care contributing to a large proportion of total health care costs, and recent Medicare payment reforms such as accountable care organizations, the role of ACOs in urologic cancer care has been unexplored.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal analysis of 2011-2017 Medicare claims data to compare post-surgical outcomes between Medicare ACO and non-ACO patients before and after implementation of Medicare shared savings program (MSSP).

AGS and NIA bench-to bedside conference summary: Cancer and cardiovascular disease.

This report summarizes the presentations, discussions, and recommendations of the most recent American Geriatrics Society and National Institute on Aging research conference, "Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease," on October 18-19, 2021. The purpose of this virtual meeting was to address the interface between cancer and heart disease, which are the two leading causes of death among older Americans. Age-related physiologic changes are implicated in the pathogenesis of both conditions.

Pharmacogenomics of cisplatin-induced neurotoxicities: Hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral sensory neuropathy.

Purpose: Cisplatin is a critical component of first-line chemotherapy for several cancers, but causes peripheral sensory neuropathy, hearing loss, and tinnitus. We aimed to identify comorbidities for cisplatin-induced neurotoxicities among large numbers of similarly treated patients without the confounding effect of cranial radiotherapy.

Methods: Utilizing linear and logistic regression analyses on 1680 well-characterized cisplatin-treated testicular cancer survivors, we analyzed associations of hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy with nongenetic comorbidities.

Increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer among testicular cancer survivors.

Introduction: Testicular cancer survivors (TCS) have an increased risk of additional cancers, including prostate cancer. Our understanding of the natural history of prostate cancer in testicular cancer survivors is very limited due to its rare incidence.

Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry from 1978 to 2011, we identified 282 TCS with subsequent prostate cancer and examined the tumor grade and clinical outcomes in contrast to men with primary prostate cancer in the general population.

Cisplatin, environmental metals, and cardiovascular disease: an urgent need to understand underlying mechanisms.

Significantly increased risks of cardiovascular disease occur in testicular cancer survivors given cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The postulated mechanism of platinum-based chemotherapy's vascular toxicity has been thought secondary to its different early- and late- effects on vascular injury, endothelial dysfunction, and induction of a hypercoagulable state. We highlight for the first time the similarities between platinum-associated vascular adverse events and the vascular toxicity associated with other xenobiotic-metal contaminants.