Checkpoint inhibitor benefit in perioperative gastro-esophageal cancer: A meta-analysis of phase III trials.

Background: The integration of immunotherapy (IO) with perioperative chemotherapy represents an advance in locally advanced, resectable gastroesophageal cancers. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have yielded discordant findings with respect to event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS), particularly when differing chemotherapy backbones and IO agents are employed. Understanding the sources and implications of these discrepancies is essential for optimizing treatment strategies.

Spatial Heterogeneity, Stromal Phenotypes, and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Colorectal Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis.

Purpose: Peritoneal metastases (PM) in colorectal cancer portend a poor prognosis. We sought to elucidate molecular features differentiating primary tumors (PT) from PMs and actionable targets facilitating transcoelomic dissemination and progression.

Experimental Design: We performed multiomic profiling of 227 samples from 136 patients, including 56 PTs and 120 synchronous PMs comprising 34 matched PT-PM pairs.

Spatial organization of B lymphocytes and prognosis prediction in patients with gastric cancer.

Background: Within the tumor microenvironment (TME), the association of B lymphocytes (B cells) with prognosis and therapy response in gastric cancer (GC) remains poorly characterized. We investigated the predictive and prognostic value of B cells, including their spatial organization within the TME, in one of the largest multi-cohort studies to date.

Methods: Using CD20 immunohistochemistry, we evaluated B cell density in resection specimens from 977 patients with resectable GC across three cohorts, including the randomized phase III Korean CLASSIC trial.

Spatially Resolved Tumor Ecosystems and Cell States in Gastric Adenocarcinoma Progression and Evolution.

Integration of spatial transcriptomic (GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler) and single-cell RNA sequencing data from multiple gastric cancers identifies spatially resolved expression-based intratumoral heterogeneity, associated with distinct immune microenvironments. We uncovered two separate evolutionary trajectories associated with specific molecular subtypes, clinical prognoses, stromal neighborhoods, and genetic drivers. Tumor-stroma interfaces emerged as a unique state of tumor ecology.

State-of-the-Art Advancements in Gastroesophageal Cancer Treatment: Harnessing Biomarkers for Precision Care.

Gastroesophageal cancers (GECs) represent a significant clinical challenge. For early resectable GEC, the integration of immune checkpoint inhibitors into the perioperative chemotherapy and chemoradiation treatment paradigms are being explored and showing promising results. Frontline management of metastatic GEC is exploring the role of targeted therapies beyond PD-1 inhibitors, including anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 agents, Claudin 18.

Higher odds of periodontitis in systemic lupus erythematosus compared to controls and rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review, meta-analysis and network meta-analysis.

Introduction: Periodontitis as a comorbidity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is still not well recognized in the dental and rheumatology communities. A meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were thus performed to compare the (i) prevalence of periodontitis in SLE patients compared to those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and (ii) odds of developing periodontitis in controls, RA, and SLE.

Methods: Pooled prevalence of and odds ratio (OR) for periodontitis were compared using meta-analysis and network meta-analysis (NMA).

Recurrent Heerfordt-Waldenström Syndrome with thyroid and meningeal involvement in a Chinese woman.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology, manifesting with bilateral hilar adenopathy, pulmonary reticular opacities, skin, joint or eye lesions. Heerfordt-Waldenström Syndrome - a constellation of facial palsy, fever, uveitis and parotitis - is a rare presentation of this disorder. A 47-year-old Chinese woman presented with unintentional weight loss, lethargy with mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy.

Indirect Treatment Comparison of First-Line CDK4/6-Inhibitors in Post-Menopausal Patients with HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer.

CDK4/6-inhibitors have demonstrated similar efficacy and are considered an effective first-line endocrine treatment of patients with hormone-receptor positive (HR+)/human-epidermal-growth-factor-receptor-2 negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in the endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). Amongst these, palbociclib was first to achieve regulatory approval, followed subsequently by ribociclib and abemaciclib. However, recent updates of overall survival (OS) showed inconsistencies in the OS benefit for palbociclib compared with the other two CDK4/6-inhibitors.

Risk of Further Progression or Death Among Durable Progression-Free Survivors With Melanoma or Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in PD-1 Blockade Trials: Implications for Imaging Surveillance.

Purpose: Durable progression-free survivors (dPFSors) over 2 years have been reported among patients with melanoma or non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received PD-(L)1 therapy. However, risk of progression still exists and the optimal imaging surveillance interval is unknown.

Methods: Individual patient data for progression-free survival (PFS) were extracted from PD-1 blockade clinical trials with a follow-up of at least 5 years.

Comparing bronchial thermoplasty with biologicals for severe asthma: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) has shown favorable safety and efficacy in several randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but has not been directly compared to biological therapies.

Methods: Electronic literature searches were performed on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, to retrieve RCTs of BT or FDA-approved biologicals against controls in patients with severe asthma. Six outcomes were analyzed: Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), the number of patients experiencing ≥1 asthma exacerbation, annualized exacerbation rate ratio (AERR), oral corticosteroid dose reduction (OCDR), and morning peak expiratory flow rate (amPEF).

First-Line Systemic Therapies for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Patient-Level Network Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Sorafenib was historically the standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) until it was superseded by the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab. Thereafter, several novel first-line combination therapies have demonstrated favorable outcomes. The efficacies of these treatments in relation to current and previous standards of care are unknown, necessitating an overarching evaluation.

Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) Lung Cancer Screening in Asian Female Never-Smokers Is as Efficacious in Detecting Lung Cancer as in Asian Male Ever-Smokers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Lung cancer in never-smokers is the major cancer cause of death globally. We compared the efficacy of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening among never-smokers versus ever-smokers using systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: LDCT lung cancer screening studies that simultaneously included both ever-smoker and never-smoker participants published by April 30, 2021, were searched through PubMed and Scopus.

Ablation therapies for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and patient-level network meta-analysis.

Introduction: Despite promising trials, catheter ablation is still regarded as an adjunct to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of various ablation therapies and AADs.

Method: Randomised controlled trials or propensity score-matched studies comparing atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence among any combination of ablation modalities or AAD were retrieved.

Effectiveness of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Meta-analysis Including Low PD-L1 Subgroups.

Importance: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved survival outcomes of patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in both first- and second-line settings. However, the benefit of ICIs in patients with low programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression remains unclear.

Objective: To derive survival data for patient subgroups with low PD-L1 expression from clinical trials comparing ICIs with chemotherapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and to perform a pooled analysis.

Real-world experience of consolidation durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Durvalumab consolidation is associated with improved survival following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Given the heterogeneity of stage III NSCLC patients, in this study we evaluated the efficacy and safety of durvalumab in the real-world setting.

Method: Unresectable stage III NSCLC patients were retrospectively studied: one cohort received CCRT, another had CCRT-durvalumab.