EliasHossain/CancerAbstracts huggingface dataset:
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
Hereditary thyroid carcinomas are present in about 5% of differentiated (DTC) and 25% of medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC). They are part of a multiorgan tumour syndrome (e. g. FAP Gardner's syndrome with DTC and MEN 2 syndrome with MTC) or confined to the thyroid gland. Hereditary thyroid carcinomas typically show multifocal growth and occur in young patients. Due to germ cell mutations as the underlying cause of disease, partial thyroidectomies that may be justified in early sporadic carcinomas are not indicated in this type of tumours. In the case of hereditary DTC, the genetic basis of the disease has been demonstrated only in syndromatic tumour variants. In most nonsyndromatic cases, specific genetic alterations have not yet been identified. In both types of hereditary DTC, prophylactic thyroidectomy is not warranted due to the favourable prognosis of tumours that do not differ from sporadic ones. Point mutations of the RET proto-oncogene have been known for 15 years to be the genetic basis of hereditary MTC. Recently several new mutations were discovered; however, final conclusions regarding their clinical significance are not possible at present. Basically it has been shown that the clinical aggressivity of tumour development follows a genotype-phenotype correlation (risk groups 1-3). However, in mutations of all risk classes there exists a wide spectrum of different stages of hereditary C-cell disease in individual risk groups. Regarding time and extent of prophylactic thyroidectomy (without or with lymph node dissection) a combined molecular-biochemical concept including the use of pentagastrin-stimulated calcitonin values is therefore recommended.
Category: Generic
Spurred by advances in processing power, memory, storage, and an unprecedented wealth of data, computers are being asked to tackle increasingly complex learning tasks, often with astonishing success. Computers have now mastered a popular variant of poker, learned the laws of physics from experimental data, and become experts in video games - tasks that would have been deemed impossible not too long ago. In parallel, the number of companies centered on applying complex data analysis to varying industries has exploded, and it is thus unsurprising that some analytic companies are turning attention to problems in health care. The purpose of this review is to explore what problems in medicine might benefit from such learning approaches and use examples from the literature to introduce basic concepts in machine learning. It is important to note that seemingly large enough medical data sets and adequate learning algorithms have been available for many decades, and yet, although there are thousands of papers applying machine learning algorithms to medical data, very few have contributed meaningfully to clinical care. This lack of impact stands in stark contrast to the enormous relevance of machine learning to many other industries. Thus, part of my effort will be to identify what obstacles there may be to changing the practice of medicine through statistical learning approaches, and discuss how these might be overcome.
Category: Lung_Cancer
Nowadays, patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harbouring a driver mutation undergo targeted treatment. This results in profound tumour responses but inevitably induces resistance after approximately 9 to 12 months. In this article we consider the importance and clinical implications of taking new biopsies to retrieve information regarding resistance mechanisms. There is a shift in the use of other modalities such as radiotherapy and surgery in patients with oligometastatic disease, producing long-lasting responses. This is illustrated by three different patient cases: one with an EGFR exon 21 mutation, obtaining a T790M mutation upon treatment; another with a BRAF V600 mutation initially treated with chemotherapy and later with targeted therapy; and, finally, a patient with an ALK translocation with progression on crizotinib treatment, responding to subsequent alectinib therapy. The latter developed oligometastatic disease that was treated with radiotherapy, resulting in a complete response for at least 2 years.
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
The incidence of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer has increased over the last several decades. This change is influenced by several factors, to include the status of iodine sufficiency, access to the health care system and, perhaps most significantly, the increased use of radiological imaging. Thorough evaluation of a thyroid nodule includes review of the patient's medical and family history, followed by thyroid ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Similar to adults, the majority of nodules in children are benign; however, there is a 3- to 5-fold higher risk that a nodule found in a pediatric patient ( 18 years) will be malignant when compared to an adult. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is the most common malignancy with approximately 90-95% being papillary thyroid carcinoma and the remainder follicular thyroid carcinoma. With proper evaluation and management, the prognosis for pediatric patients with DTC is excellent; however, the risk of treatment complications and recurrence is relatively high. The development of pediatric specific guidelines for the evaluation and management of thyroid nodules and DTC as well as the creation of centers with surgical and medical expertise is crucial in order to optimize care and gain a better understanding of factors that impact disease-specific morbidity.
Category: Lung_Cancer
In 1968, the first of three screening projects employing chest x-ray and sputum cytology was begun at Johns Hopkins. Subsequently, Mayo Clinic and Preventive Medicine Institute were added to form the Early Lung Cancer Detection Group. The Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic projects employ a chest x-ray annually for all participants and a quarterly sputum cytology for the study group. The Mayo Clinic utilizes a chest x-ray and sputum cytology quarterly for the study group and follow-up only for the comparison group. Entry in the study requires a screening examination for all participants, and those who have lung cancer at the initial examination constitute a "prevalence" group. Those who do not have a lung cancer at the initial examination are randomized into study and comparison groups. The goal was to determine if mortality from lung cancer could be reduced and if so, how much? That evaluation is not yet available. Prevalence data and incidence rate, stage at diagnosis, and survival by stage are now available. The diagnostic value of each modality, chest x-ray, and sputum cytology has been determined and varies by tumor cell type and location.
Category: Generic
Experts discuss the challenges and opportunities of using artificial intelligence (AI) to study the evolution of cancer cells and their microenvironment, improve diagnosis, predict treatment response, and ensure responsible implementation in the clinic.
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
Genetics of cancer is a hot topic, an excellent example of translational medicine. Risk stratification, selection of cases for surgery in Bethesda categories 3 &4 FNAB are examples of the high impact of genetic evaluation in thyroid neoplasia.
Category: Generic
Water insecurity is increasing globally as one of the first perceivable effects of climate change. While water management is typically a local challenge, climate finance mechanisms offer the potential to switch climate-damaging capital toward climate reparative water infrastructure and create a sustainable, performance-based funding stream to incentivize safe water services globally.
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
From thyroid nodules to thyroid cancer Abstract. The prevalence of thyroid nodules is around 1 % per life year, whereas 5 % of the nodules are malignant. Primary diagnostics consist of examination of TSH and cervical ultrasound. Depending on the findings, additional laboratory investigations, a scintigraphy or a biopsy are indicated. In case of thyroid cancer, the primary treatment is usually surgery. There are at least nine different clinical guidelines worldwide to provide a standardized perioperative management, whereas the guidelines of the German Association of Endocrine Surgeons (CAEK) and the American Thyroid Association (ATA) are most frequently used in the German speaking part of Europe. Individual therapy concepts are determined at the interdisciplinary endocrinological tumour boards. The indication for postoperative radioiodine treatment or thyroid hormone supplementation in TSH suppression dose in case of differentiated (papillary or follicular) thyroid cancer is evaluated according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification.
Category: Colon_Cancer
Renal infiltration of colon adenocarcinoma is a rare event. The authors present the case report of a 52-year-old female who had a high carcinoembryonic antigen level 18 months after right hemicolectomy and a chemotherapy regimen to treat transverse colon adenocarcinoma. The patient presented cancer recurrence after 12 months, and underwent a paraaortic lymphadenoctomy and a second adjuvant chemotherapy with the folfox regimen. Abdomen computerized tomography revealed two solid masses in the right kidney, without evidence of any other metastatic sites. A nephrectomy was performed in the right kidney followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
This review is focused on "new drugs" that might be developed for thyroid cancer treatment. Thyroid cancer is frequently associated to the activation of specific protein (RET, BRAF) and lipid [PI(3)K] kinases. There is good evidence that these genetic lesions are causative events in thyroid cancer initiation or progression. Therefore, novel compounds able to target these kinases might be useful for thyroid cancer treatment. The power of this approach is witnessed by the examples of BCR-ABL, c-KIT and EGFR inhibitors in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), gastro-intestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
Background: Familial non-medullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) accounts for a relatively small proportion of thyroid cancer cases, but it displays strong genetic predisposition. So far, only a few NMTC susceptible genes and low-penetrance variants contributing to NMTC have been described. This study aimed to identify rare germline variants that may predispose individuals to NMTC by sequencing a cohort of 17 NMTC families. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing and genome-wide linkage analysis were performed in 17 NMTC families. MendelScan and BasePlayer were applied to screen germline variants followed by customized filtering. The remaining candidate variants were subsequently validated by Sanger sequencing. A panel of 277 known cancer predisposition genes was also screened in these families. Results: A total of 41 rare coding candidate variants in 40 genes identified by whole-genome sequencing are reported, including 24 missense, five frameshift, five splice change, and seven nonsense variants. Sanger sequencing confirmed all 41 rare variants and proved their co-segregation with NMTC in the extended pedigrees. In silico functional analysis of the candidate genes using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed that cancer was the top category of "Diseases and Disorders." Additionally, a targeted search displayed six variants in known cancer predisposition genes, including one frameshift variant and five missense variants. Conclusions: The data identify rare germline variants that may play important roles in NMTC predisposition. It is proposed that in future research including functional characterization, these variants and genes be considered primary candidates for thyroid cancer predisposition.
Category: Lung_Cancer
In the early 1900s, lung cancer was a rare malignancy in women, but starting from the 1960s it has progressively reached epidemic proportions, surpassing breast cancer in 1987 and becoming the leading cause of cancer deaths in many countries. Retrospective data show that the 5-year survival rate for women who have lung cancer is 15.6%, compared with 12.5% for men, and this improved survival could have important implications in the design and interpretation of lung cancer trials. Women have major responses to therapy regardless of stage, therapeutic modalities or histology. The increase of lung cancer incidence among women is reflected in their clinical trial participation, causing a survival improvement and suggesting the need of stratification by sex in future studies. No specific drugs for women with lung cancer are currently available, but researchers are devoting energies in this area in order to better understand the implication of gender differences in epidemiology, pathogenesis, prognosis and tumor response.
Category: Thyroid_Cancer
Since 1962, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has used an individually optimized dosimetry method for patients with thyroid carcinoma undergoing radioiodine therapy. This traditional dosimetry method involves a determination of the maximum tolerated activity or the activity that will deliver 2 Gy to the blood (A(max)), and the corresponding ablative lesion dose (D(lesion)). However, the traditional calculations of A(max) and D(lesion) were based on empirical assumptions. The objective of this work was to develop a dosimetry method that eliminates these assumptions by incorporating patient kinetics and that is not restricted to 131I as a tracer and therapeutic agent.
Category: Lung_Cancer
Problems of the clinical course, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment of metastatic and non-metastatic (toxic) affections of the brain in patients with lung cancer (with reference to the latter's histological structure, localization and treatment given) and discussed on the basis of a voluminous verified material (2,400 patients). In non-treated patients the brain was involved about twice as frequently, as in patients who received a pathogenetically-substantiated treatment. In both groups the brain involvement was observed mainly in patients suffering from adenocarcinoma and non-differentiated cancer. Early surgical removal of the brain metastases performed may prolong the patient's life by one to two years. A similar effect is produced by radiation therapy of focal affection of the brain in cases of oat-cell cancer.
Category: Lung_Cancer
Venous thromboembolism (TE) is a frequent occurrence in lung cancer patients and can be precipitated by venous stasis, the activation of clotting cascades by pro-coagulant tumour factors and by vascular injury due to chemotherapy and central venous catheters. Subcutaneous low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) has replaced intravenous unfractionated heparin in the treatment of acute TE. The use of long-term LMWH is recommended to prevent the recurrence of TE. Prophylactic treatment is indicated in patients undergoing surgery or hospitalised. Heparin appears to have distinct anti-neoplastic as well as anticoagulant effects, which benefit overall survival.
Category: Colon_Cancer
The expression of cancer-testis (CT) genes varies with tumor type. There are tumors with high, low, and intermediate gene expressions. Tumor cells of different origin are characterized by ST gene co-expression. The expression of ST genes increases in later stages of tumor development in the presence of metastases. In colon cancer, the tumor samples showed most frequently MAGE-A and SSX mRNA. The peripheral blood samples displayed most commonly XAGE, MAGE-C, and SSX mRNA. In patients with colon cancer, the expression of TSP50, MAGE-A(1-6), and SSX1,2,4 genes was associated with a poor prognosis, that of MAGE-C1 and XAGE1 was related to a favorable prognosis.
Category: Colon_Cancer
Colorectal cancer arises in individuals with acquired or inherited genetic predisposition who are exposed to a range of risk factors. Many of these risk factors are associated with affluent Western societies. More than 95% of colorectal cancers are sporadic, arising in individuals without a significant hereditary risk. Geographic variation in the incidence of colorectal cancer is considerable with a higher incidence observed in the West. Environmental factors contribute substantially to this variation. A number of these risk factors are associated with a Western lifestyle and could be considered a product of 'civilization'. Recently, smoking has been recognized as a risk factor. Energy consumption also influences colorectal cancer risk, with obesity increasing risk and exercise reducing risk. However, the strongest contribution to environmental risk for colorectal cancer is dietary. Consumption of fat, alcohol and red meat is associated with an increased risk. Fresh fruit and vegetables and dietary fibre may be protective. Much has been learnt recently about the molecular pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer always arises in the context of genomic instability. There is inactivation of the tumour suppressor genes adenomatous polyposis coli, p53, transforming growth factor- , activation of oncogene pathways including K-ras, and activation of the cyclooxygenase-2, epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor pathways. The mechanisms by which some environmental factors modify the mutation risk in these pathways have been described.
Category: Colon_Cancer
Colorectal cancer affected approximately 135,000 people in the United States in 2001, resulting in 57,000 deaths. At the cellular level, colorectal cancer results from the progressive accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations that lead to the transformation of normal colonic epithelial cells to colon adenocarcinoma cells. The loss of genomic stability appears to be a key molecular and pathogenetic step that occurs early in the tumorigenesis process and serves to create a permissive environment for the occurrence of alterations in tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. At least three forms of genomic instability have been identified in colon cancer: (1) microsatellite instability (MSI), (2) chromosome instability (i.e. aneusomy, gains and losses of chromosomal regions) (CIN), and (3) chromosomal translocations. Microsatellite instability occurs in approximately 15% of colon cancers and results from inactivation of the mutation mismatch repair (MMR) system by either MMR gene mutations or hypermethylation of the MLH1 promoter. MSI promotes tumorigenesis through generating mutations in target genes that possess coding microsatellite repeats, such as TGFBR2 and BAX. CIN is found in the majority of colon cancers and leads to a different pattern of gene alterations that contribute to tumor formation. CIN appears to result primarily from deregulation of the DNA replication checkpoints and mitotic-spindle checkpoints. The mechanisms that induce and influence genomic instability in cancer in general and more specifically in colon cancer are only partly understood and are consequently under intense investigation. These studies have revealed mutation of the mitotic checkpoint regulators BUB1 and BUBR1 and amplification of STK15 in a subset of CIN colon cancers. The etiology of CIN in the other unexplained cases of colon cancer remains to be determined. Hopefully, discovery of the cause and specific role of genomic instability in colon cancer will yield more effective chemotherapy strategies that take advantage of this unique characteristic of cancer cells.
Category: Colon_Cancer
Our relationship with the colonic bacterial flora has long been viewed as benign, but recent studies suggest that this symbiosis has risks as well as benefits. This relationship requires that the host not only provide a supportive environment for the symbiotic bacteria, but also actively maintain intact mechanisms for properly managing the physiologic stresses that are closely associated with the symbiont's essential survival functions. Failure to do so breaches the host-symbiont contract, and can result in serious effects on the health of the host. Recent investigations that employ several knockout mouse models reveal the consequences of genetic deficiency in the host regarding these mechanisms, and the latent, pro-inflammatory, tumorigenic nature of normal bacterial flora. Further study of the interactions between normal bacterial flora and hosts could shed light on the etiologies and pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and related cancers, with implications for human health.
Category: Colon_Cancer
Techniques enabling detection of early colon cancer already exist, but to be more productive in terms of improving survival they must be applied in a meaningful sequence and repeated regularly in high-risk patients. Positive findings in specific screening steps based on well-known risk factors in colon cancer always call for aggressive follow-up. The advantages and disadvantages of the various techniques are discussed.
Category: Generic
The purpose of this research is to identify how data science is applied in suicide prevention literature, describe the current landscape of this literature and highlight areas where data science may be useful for future injury prevention research.
Category: Lung_Cancer
BCNU, CCNU, and methyl-CCNU have undergone extensive trial in multiple drug combinations for bronchogenic carcinoma. The addition of a nitrosourea appears to be an improvement over cyclophosphamide used alone in oat cell carcinoma and over the two drug combination of cyclophosphamide and methotrexate in both adenocarcinoma of the lung and oat cell disease. Encouraging response rates have been seen in squamous lung cancer with multiple-drug combinations of a nitrosourea, an alkylating agent, vincristine, and bleomycin with or without adriamycin. The nitrosoureas have been easily incorporated, at reduced doses, into multiple-drug regimens with cumulative myelosuppression seen only when the interval between nitrosourea doses is less than 6 weeks. Conclusions about the ultimate role of these compounds in lunb cancer treatment must await (a) comparative trials of combinations with and without a nitrosourea, and (b) further exploration of new approaches to increase their therapeutic index.
Category: Lung_Cancer
In the past few years there have been major changes in the treatment landscape in oncology; lung cancer is affected by those changes like almost no other solid tumor. The rise of further second- and third-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors offers sequential therapy for patients with mutated non-small-cell lung cancer. Immunotherapy has found its way into clinical routine and presents us with new challenges in managing side effects, evaluating treatment response and deciding on how long we treat our patients. The treatment algorithm of lung cancer has changed in the last month and further practice-changing trials are coming up, so treating lung cancer patients shows nowadays a more challenging perspective with the possibility of subsequently applied individual therapies. This article provides a brief overview of the highlights presented at the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) annual meeting this year in Chicago.