Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common neuromuscular disorder in humans. In fact, it is the most frequently inherited cause of infant mortality, being the result of mutations in the survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene that reduce levels of SMN protein. Restoring levels of SMN protein in individuals with SMA is perceived to be a viable therapeutic option, but the efficacy of such a strategy once symptoms are apparent has not been determined. We have generated mice harboring an inducible Smn rescue allele and used them in a model of SMA to investigate the effects of turning on SMN expression at different time points during the course of the disease. Restoring SMN protein even after disease onset was sufficient to reverse neuromuscular pathology and effect robust rescue of the SMA phenotype. Importantly, our findings also indicated that there was a therapeutic window of opportunity from P4 through P8 defined by the extent of neuromuscular synapse pathology and the ability of motor neurons to respond to SMN induction, following which restoration of the protein to the organism failed to produce therapeutic benefit. Nevertheless, our results suggest that even in severe SMA, timely reinstatement of the SMN protein may halt the progression of the disease and serve as an effective postsymptomatic treatment.
9025 Background: Many patients diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will develop intracranial metastasis, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Immunotherapy (IMT) has emerged as the standard of care in select cases of metastatic NSCLC, though data investigating the survival impact of IMT and radiation (XRT) in these patients is limited. To characterize the survival impact of intracranial XRT and IMT in NSCLC patients with brain metastasis, we analyzed the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: We queried the NCDB for patients with metastatic NSCLC having brain metastasis receiving intracranial XRT ± IMT. Univariable and multivariable analyses identified characteristics predictive of overall survival. Cox proportional hazard ratios with propensity matching mitigated indication bias between the two arms. Results: 13,998 NSCLC patients who received IMT (n = 545) or did not receive IMT (n = 13,545) were eligible for analysis. Univariable analysis demonstrated a median overall survival of 13.1 months (95% CI: 11.8-15.0) vs. 9.7 months (95% CI: 9.5-9.9) (p < 0.0001) and 3-year overall survival of 17% vs. 12% [p < 0.0001; HR: 0.77 (0.71-0.84)] in patients receiving and not receiving IMT respectively. Patients with N3 disease and those diagnosed between 2012 and 2014 were more likely to have received IMT. Receipt of IMT remained an independent predictor of increased survival on propensity score matched multivariable comparison (p = 0.0002). Conclusions: Receipt of IMT was an independent predictor of increased overall survival in patients with NSCLC having intracranial metastasis. Randomized, prospective studies are needed to further validate these findings. [Table: see text]
Recent data support incorporation of immune checkpoint inhibitors into the treatment armamentarium for esophageal, gastroesophageal junction, and gastric (esophagogastric) cancer. This practical review focuses on clinical trials that influenced US Food and Drug Administration approvals and treatment guidelines in esophagogastric cancer, including the impact of location, stage, histology, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status, and PD-(L)1 expression on these guidelines. The role of immunotherapy in the locally advanced and metastatic setting is constantly expanding. Over the next few years, the many ongoing trials exploring immunotherapy are anticipated to bring new treatment regimens into the frontline setting with the potential to improve survival in patients with advanced disease.
Cryptococcal meningitis is an opportunistic infection predominantly affecting immunocompromised patients but rarely can affect the immunocompetent. We describe a 53-year-old Caucasian man who presented complaining of a 2-week history of severe bilateral eye pain and diplopia. His only known risk factor was that he lived in a horse farm and recently shot bats and pigeons in his barn. He visited an outside hospital during this time without a diagnosis established. After further deliberation, we obtained a lumbar puncture (LP) which revealed an opening pressure (OP) of 27 cm H2O. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and fungal cultures confirmed the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans. The patient was diagnosed with C. neoformans-mediated meningoencephalitis and was initiated on the appropriate induction anti-fungal therapy. This case emphasises the need for clinicians to remain vigilant and consider cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompetent individuals even when classic symptoms of meningitis are absent.
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