Actionable Activating Oncogenic ERBB2/HER2 Transmembrane and Juxtamembrane Domain Mutations.

Deregulated HER2 is a target of many approved cancer drugs. We analyzed 111,176 patient tumors and identified recurrent mutations in HER2 transmembrane domain (TMD) and juxtamembrane domain (JMD) that include G660D, R678Q, E693K, and Q709L. Using a saturation mutagenesis screen and testing of patient-derived mutations we found several activating TMD and JMD mutations.

Treatment of Langerhans cell histiocytosis with a modified risk-adapted protocol-experience from a tertiary cancer institute in India.

Background: Involvement of risk-organs (RO+) in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and inadequate early response identifies patients at high risk for relapse and mortality requiring intensive salvage therapy including stem cell transplant, adding cost and toxicity. To mitigate this, we used a standard induction, augmented with metronomic etoposide, and prolonged maintenance-similarly augmented for RO+, and retrospectively analyzed its impact.

Procedure: LCH patients from 2009 through 2014 were included.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutational Status and Brain Metastases in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Epidermal growth factor receptor () mutations in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC) may be more common in patients with brain metastases. Previous studies, however, did not adjust for effects of confounding variables.

Methods: This retrospective study included 1,522 consecutive patients with NSCLC, whose tumors were diagnosed and tested for mutations at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha, NE) and Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai, India).

Preoperative Chemotherapy and Metronomic Scheduling of Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Oral Cancers.

Locally advanced oral cavity cancers are treated with a multi-modality approach. Surgery is the most efficient local modality in comparison to chemoradiation in oral cancers. Preoperative chemotherapy has failed its expectations to improve disease-free survival or overall survival in resectable oral cancers.

L-asparginase administration reduces white blood cell count and prevents tumor lysis syndrome in children with hyperleukocytic acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: The management of hyperleukocytosis currently involves intensive supportive care for preventing tumor lysis syndrome (TLS)-associated metabolic abnormalities as well as cytoreduction procedures to reduce the white blood cell (WBC) count. These procedures are often equipment-intensive and may not be practised in developing countries with limited resources. Hence, it is not clear what would be the most effective strategy to manage hyperleukocytosis and prevent TLS.