Autophagy has been of novel interest since it was first demonstrated to have effect in Burkitt’s lymphoma. Since that time, the autophagy agents chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have become the only FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved autophagy inhibitors. While not approved for cancer therapy, there are ongoing clinical trials to evaluate their safety and efficacy. Pevonedistat has emerged as a novel inhibitor through the neddylation pathway and is an autophagy activator. This paper summarizes and presents current clinical trials for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), chloroquine (CQ), and Pevonedistat for the clinician.

The improved LBR method has been generalized to calculate the output factor of electron therapy at extended SSD. The percentage difference between the calculated and the measured output factors of irregularly shaped cutouts in a clinical useful SSD region was within 2%. Similar results were obtained for all available electron energies of both Varian 2100C and ELEKTA Synergy machines.

No abstract

Statins work synergistically with androgen receptor blockers and androgen biosynthesis inhibitors, improving survival in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancers (mCRPCs). Survival improvement is more pronounced for patients receiving androgen biosynthesis inhibitors compared with patients receiving androgen receptor blockers. A rare adverse interaction between simvastatin and abiraterone (Zytiga), an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, was observed in a patient with mCRPC due to pharmacokinetic changes resulting from obstructive jaundice.

Bartter syndrome is a rare disorder that is characterized by weakness and fatigue with laboratory findings of hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis with increased aldosterone and angiotensin. It specifically acts on the ascending loop of Henle, characterized by miscoded proteins affecting NaCl transports and channels. Patients will require replacement of potassium and sometimes magnesium due to the kidneys’ inability to reabsorb these ions. So what happens when the body’s other primary mechanism of absorption of these elements are taken out? In this article, we present the case of a 47-year-old woman with Bartter syndrome on oral potassium 40 mg BID (twice a day) and magnesium oxide 800 TID (thrice a day), who recently had a small bowel resection that required intravenous potassium and magnesium throughout her hospital admission. Significant questions arose as to how her electrolytes should be managed, given her unusual presentation with rare underlying disorder. We discuss the implications of her bowel resection in the context of Bartter syndrome and our views on her future course based on available literature.