Implementation of a Low-Cost Quality Improvement Intervention Increases Adherence to Cancer Screening Guidelines and Reduces Healthcare Costs at a University Medical Center.

Adherence to US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) cancer screening guidelines remains considerably lower than the recommendation of the Healthy People 2020 initiative. Patient populations recommended for screening are not screened at an appropriate rate, and populations not recommended for screening are inappropriately screened. Closer adherence to guidelines should improve outcomes and reduce costs, estimated to reach $158 billion/year by 2020. We evaluated whether a use of low-cost educational health maintenance (HM) card by medical residents at a university hospital could impact education and adherence to updated cancer screening guidelines. We also analyzed savings to the healthcare system. Adherence to cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer screening guidelines, defined as percentage that was screened (or not screened) in accordance with the USPSTF guidelines, in clinic visits from December 2012 (n = 336) was compared to those from December 2013 (n = 306) after a quality improvement intervention. Post-intervention, adherence to screening guidelines increased by 40.8% (p < 0.01) for cervical, 33.2% (p < 0.01) for breast, and 20.5% (p < 0.01) for colorectal cancer in average-risk patients. Inappropriate screening was reduced by 26.8% (p < 0.01) for cervical and 32.8% (p < 0.01) for breast cancer. A non-significant 1.1% decrease (p = 0.829) was observed for colorectal cancer. The annual potential savings from avoiding inappropriate screenings were $998,316 (95% CI; $644,484-$1,352,148). We showed a significant absolute increase in USPSTF knowledge of 28.3% irrespective of the house staff level that remained high at 2 years from the educational intervention. The low-cost HM card increased appropriate knowledgeable cancer screening adherence while reducing unnecessary testing and producing substantial savings to the healthcare system.

Everolimus for the treatment of advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Introduction: PDAC is a lethal malignancy with a clear unmet need; almost all patients fail 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line multi-agent cytotoxic chemotherapy. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been identified as a key signaling node enhancing tumor survival and drug resistance in PDAC; hence, it is considered a promising therapeutic target. Areas covered: We comprehensively reviewed the evidence from preclinical and phase I and II clinical trials, based on the authors'clinical experience and a PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, and Google Scholar search everolimus + pancreatic cancer. Expert opinion: Everolimus has not demonstrated efficacy in PDAC; however, an mTOR inhibitor in combination with stroma-targeted therapies may be a promising area to explore in clinical trials.

Oncogenic Addiction to ERBB2 Signaling Predicts Response to Trastuzumab in Urothelial Cancer.

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a common and frequently lethal cancer. Despite the presence of genomic alterations creating dependency on particular signaling pathways, the use of targeted therapies in advanced and metastatic UC has been limited. We performed an integrated analysis of whole-exome and RNA sequencing of primary and metastatic tumors in a patient with platinum-resistant UC. We found a strikingly high ERBB2 mRNA expression and enrichment of downstream oncogenic ERBB2 signaling in this patient's tumors compared with tumors from an unselected group of patients with UC (N=17). This patient had an exceptional sustained response to trastuzumab. Our findings show that oncogenic addiction to ERBB2 signaling potentially predicts response to ERBB2-directed therapy of UC.

Enhancing HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Practices via an Educational Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV involves using antiretroviral drugs to prevent individuals at high risk from acquiring HIV infection. Most practicing primary care providers believe PrEP to be safe and effective, but less than half have prescribed or referred for PrEP. Attitudes and prescribing patterns among house officers have not been well described previously. STUDY QUESTION: Can an educational intervention enhance HIV PrEP practices among internal medicine house officers? STUDY DESIGN: This study relied on a pretest/posttest design. All categorical trainees at a medium-sized internal medicine program were offered a baseline survey to assess their knowledge on PrEP. This was followed by a PrEP-focused educational intervention and a postintervention survey. MEASURES AND OUTCOMES: Likert scales captured perceptions regarding safety, effectiveness, barriers, factors that would promote PrEP use, potential side effects, impact on risk-taking behavior, and provider comfort level in assessing behavioral risks and in PrEP prescribing. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Significance was accepted for P < 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-eight (100%) trainees participated in the educational session, 45 (94%) in a preintervention survey, and 36 (75%) in a postintervention survey. Before PrEP training, 22% of respondents were unaware of PrEP, 78% believed PrEP was effective, 66% believed PrEP was safe, 62% had fair or poor awareness of side effects; 18% of residents had referred for or prescribed PrEP, and 31% believed they were likely to prescribe PrEP in the next 6 months. After the intervention, 94% of trainees believed PrEP was effective (P < 0.001), 92% believed PrEP was safe (P < 0.001), and two-thirds believed they were likely to prescribe PrEP in the next 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Brief, focused training on HIV prevention promotes awareness, acceptance, and likelihood of prescribing PrEP by internal medicine trainees.

SRSF2 mutations in myelodysplasia/myeloproliferative neoplasms.

Recurrent gene mutations have been described with varying frequencies in myelodysplasia (MDS) /myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) overlap syndromes (MMOS). Recent work has placed significant focus on understanding the role of gene lesions involving the spliceosomal machinery in leukemogeneis. SRSF2 is a gene encoding critical spliceosomal proteins. SRSF2 mutations appear to play an important role in pathogenesis of MMOS, particularly in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Inhibition of splicing may be a new therapeutic approach. E7107, a spliceosome inhibitor, has been shown to differentially inhibit splicing more in SRSF2-mutant cells leading to decreased leukemia burden in mice. H3B-8800 is a small molecule modulator of spliceosome complex and has been shown to lower leukemia burden in SRSF2-P95H mutant mice. This review focuses on the incidence of mutant SRSF2 across various MMOS as well as recent clinical development of spliceosome inhibitors.

A 54-year-old Woman with Myelofibrosis and Massive Hemothorax Due to Primary Extramedullary Hematopoiesis of the Pleura.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis, which represents ectopic blood cell production, is usually an incidental finding accompanying hematologic pathology. The liver and spleen are the most common sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis, but thoracic involvement is likewise observed. Pleural effusions in the setting of intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis have been attributed to mechanical interactions between the pleural surface and neighboring paravertebral masses consisting of hematopoietic tissue. Rupture of these highly vascularized lesions into the adjacent pleural space has been the putative mechanism in cases complicated by hemothorax. Histologically proven instances of islets of extramedullary hematopoiesis occurring on the pleural surface itself are exceedingly rare. Our case of a patient with myelofibrosis and massive pleural effusion is only the third such example described in the literature and the second to result in a confirmed hemothorax requiring surgery. As expected, technetium-99m sulfur (Tc-99m sulfur) colloid scanning accurately localized sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis in our patient, and there was a salutary response to radiation therapy.

Thrombotic microangiopathy associated with synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists.

Marijuana is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs in the United States. As marijuana is illegal in the majority of countries, the use of readily available and unregulated synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) has increased. Little is known about the potential adverse effects of SCBs especially in regards to their nephrotoxicity. Case reports of acute kidney injury (AKI) from acute tubular injury secondary to their use have been reported. However, the exact pathology, mechanism, and extent of renal injury remain unknown. We report the first case of biopsy proven thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) associated with SCBs resulting in AKI. The patient suffered significant morbidity with loss of renal function eventually requiring renal replacement therapy.

Kaposi Sarcoma Inflammatory Cytokine Syndrome (KICS): A Rare but Potentially Treatable Condition.

Kaposi sarcoma inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS) is a newly-described condition affecting individuals who are HIV-positive and are infected with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). This is a syndrome that in some ways mimics severe sepsis with associated acute respiratory distress syndrome, possibly requiring a ventilator and vasopressor support. However, unlike severe sepsis, antibiotics provide no benefit. Management of KICS has not been fully elucidated because of its high mortality rate. However, the syndrome has been successfully treated in some cases with immunomodulatory therapy. It is crucial for oncologists to be able to recognize this syndrome and to institute the appropriate therapy. The Oncologist 2017;22:623-625.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in first trimester pregnancy successfully treated with eculizumab.

BACKGROUND: Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is a rare disorder which is known to cause acute thrombotic microangiopathy during pregnancy with poor maternal and fetal outcomes. Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is caused mostly by dysregulation of alternative complement pathway secondary to genetic mutations. Most of the cases reported have been in the post-partum period. We report a rare case of a patient who presents with thrombotic microangiopathy in the first trimester of her eleventh pregnancy and was successfully treated with eculizumab. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old woman presented at 10 weeks of gestation with hypertension, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury, consistent with thrombotic microangiopathy. She was managed initially with daily plasmapheresis. However, her kidney function did not recover, requiring hemodialysis. ADAMTS13 activity was later found to be within normal limit, hence diagnosis of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome was strongly considered at that time and she was immediately treated with anti-C5 humanized monoclonal antibody (eculizumab). The patient responded well (resolution of thrombotic microangiopathy and recovery of renal function) to eculizumab, with continued remission after discharge and successfully delivered a healthy baby at term without any peripartum complications. CONCLUSION: Early recognition of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is often difficult as several other conditions also manifest as thrombotic microangiopathy during pregnancy, causing delay in initiating appropriate treatment. Our case suggests that treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in early trimester of pregnancy with eculizumab results in good outcome to mother and fetus.

A rare presentation of acute heart failure secondary to aggressive uterine leiomyosarcoma metastatic to the myocardium initially diagnosed as hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Uterine sarcoma is the cause of 3-9% of all uterine malignant neoplasms and has a 2-fold higher incidence in black women as compared to white women. Cellular atypia and abundant mitoses (≥10 per 10 high power fields) as seen in this patient are associated with an increased risk for metastases. Metastases to the heart are infrequently reported with a handful of cases in the literature. We present a case of a 51-year-old woman with aggressively metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma causing acute heart failure 4 months after initial presentation.

Chemotherapy Used to Halt Lower GI Bleeding in a Rare Case of Metastatic Choriocarcinoma to the GI Tract.

Choriocarcinoma, a nonseminomatous germ cell tumor, is a rare type of testicular malignancy that tends to occur in young males. It is, however, exceedingly rare for choriocarcinoma to involve the GI tract. In this article, we present a rare case of a 31-year-old male, diagnosed with choriocarcinoma of the left testes, along with several metastases to distant sites. The patient presented with headaches and severe lower GI bleeding due to metastases to the GI tract, which was eventually controlled with systemic chemotherapy, while requiring several units of packed RBCs during his admission to the hospital. An extensive literature review found very few cases of the occurrence of GI bleeding as a consequence of choriocarcinoma due to metastases to the GI tract.

Metastatic colorectal cancer in a cirrhotic liver with synchronous hepatocellular carcinoma.

We are reporting a case of a patient with a previous history of colorectal cancer (CRC) and cirrhosis, who developed concurrent liver lesions consistent with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); a case which is unique due to the low incidence of multiple cancers, particularly HCC in the setting of previous advanced colorectal carcinoma along, in a cirrhotic liver. We will review the known literature on multiple cancer rates found in patients with known colorectal carcinoma. We will then outline this particular patient's presentation, followed by a discussion as to why the particular concurrent development of HCC in the setting of previous CRC is of note.

Xeroderma pigmentosa: three new cases with an in depth review of the genetic and clinical characteristics of the disease.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypersensitivity of the skin and eyes to UV-radiation as a result of a defect in one of eight genes. Seven genes (XPA-XPG) have a defect in Nucletoide Excision Repair (NER), while the eighth gene XPV has a defect in polymerase η, which is responsible for replication of UV-damaged DNA to produce corrected daughter strands. We present the varied clinical courses of three African-American female patients with XP. Additionally, we present a review of the literature that focuses on the various clinical manifestations as well as the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this disease.

Extra-hepatic bile duct hamartoma in a 10-month-old with a morgagni hernia and multiple anatomical anomalies: a rare and incidental finding.

Von Meyenburg complexes (VMCs), also known as bile duct hamartomas, are a part of a group of ductal plate malformations. They are typically present intrahepatically. In this case, we present to our knowledge the first report of an extra-hepatic VMC in the pediatric population. The patient presented as a 10-month-old infant with a weeklong history of progressive breathing difficulty. A chest radiograph was obtained, showing intestinal loops in the thoracic cavity consistent with a Morgagni's hernia, unrelated to his breathing difficulty. The patient then underwent an elective repair of his congenital diaphragmatic defect. During the operation, the bile duct hamartoma was found adherent to the accessory lobe of the liver, present to the left of the ligamentum teres.

Oxygen dose responsiveness of human fetal airway smooth muscle cells.

Maintenance of blood oxygen saturation dictates supplemental oxygen administration to premature infants, but hyperoxia predisposes survivors to respiratory diseases such as asthma. Although much research has focused on oxygen effects on alveoli in the setting of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the mechanisms by which oxygen affects airway structure or function relevant to asthma are still under investigation. We used isolated human fetal airway smooth muscle (fASM) cells from 18-20 postconceptual age lungs (canalicular stage) to examine oxygen effects on intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) and cellular proliferation. fASM cells expressed substantial smooth muscle actin and myosin and several Ca(2+) regulatory proteins but not fibroblast or epithelial markers, profiles qualitatively comparable to adult human ASM. Fluorescence Ca(2+) imaging showed robust [Ca(2+)](i) responses to 1 µM acetylcholine (ACh) and 10 µM histamine (albeit smaller and slower than adult ASM), partly sensitive to zero extracellular Ca(2+). Compared with adult, fASM showed greater baseline proliferation. Based on this validation, we assessed fASM responses to 10% hypoxia through 90% hyperoxia and found enhanced proliferation at <60% oxygen but increased apoptosis at >60%, effects accompanied by appropriate changes in proliferative vs. apoptotic markers and enhanced mitochondrial fission at >60% oxygen. [Ca(2+)](i) responses to ACh were enhanced for <60% but blunted at >60% oxygen. These results suggest that hyperoxia has dose-dependent effects on structure and function of developing ASM, which could have consequences for airway diseases of childhood. Thus detrimental effects on ASM should be an additional consideration in assessing risks of supplemental oxygen in prematurity.