Search results for "risk assessment."

Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) influences survival in soft tissue sarcomas: a systematic review with meta-analysis

2019

Background Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a telomerase-independent mechanism used by a broad range of neoplasms to maintain telomere length, permitting uncontrolled replication during their progression. ALT has been described in different types of sarcoma, but a comprehensive analysis of its clinical significance is still lacking. Therefore, we provide here the first meta-analysis on this topic. Methods We searched SCOPUS and PubMed through July 2018 to identify all studies that investigated the prognostic role of ALT in sarcomas. We considered the risk of death (risk ratio, RR) calculated as the number of death vs. total participants during follow-up in ALT+ versus ALT- pati…

Neoadjuvant score in locally advanced rectal cancer: integrating downstaging in risk assessment and looking for new valuable end points

2018

Non-invasive stratification of hepatocellular carcinoma risk in non-alcoholic fatty liver using polygenic risk scores

2021

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk stratification in individuals with dysmetabolism is a major unmet need. Genetic predisposition contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to exploit robust polygenic risk scores (PRS) that can be evaluated in the clinic to gain insight into the causal relationship between NAFLD and HCC, and to improve HCC risk stratification. Methods: We examined at-risk individuals (NAFLD cohort, n = 2,566; 226 with HCC; and a replication cohort of 427 German patients with NAFLD) and the general population (UK Biobank [UKBB] cohort, n = 364,048; 202 with HCC). Variants in PNPLA3-TM6SF2-GCKR-MBOAT7 were combined in a hepatic …

Usefulness of current candidate genetic markers to identify childhood cancer patients at risk for platinum-induced ototoxicity: Results of the Europe…

2020

Background Irreversible sensorineural hearing loss is a common side effect of platinum treatment with the potential to significantly impair the neurocognitive, social and educational development of childhood cancer survivors. Genetic association studies suggest a genetic predisposition for cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. Among other candidate genes, thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) is considered a critical gene for susceptibility to cisplatin-induced hearing loss in the FDA drug label and a pharmacogenetic guideline. The aim of this cross-sectional cohort study was to confirm the genetic associations in a large pan-European population and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the genetic…

Lymph node ratio in inguinal lymphadenectomy for squamous cell vulvar cancer: Results from the AGO-CaRE-1 study.

2019

Lymph node ratio (LNR) can predict treatment outcome and prognosis in patients with solid tumors. Aim of the present analysis was to confirm the concept of using LNR for assessing outcome in patients with vulvar cancer after surgery with inguinal lymphadenectomy in a large multicenter project.The AGO-CaRE-1 study multicenter database was used for analysis. LNR was defined as ratio of number of positive lymph nodes (LN) to the number of resected. Previously established LNR risk groups were used to stratify patients. LNR was investigated with respect to clinical parameters. Univariate and multivariable survival analyses were performed to assess the value of LNR in order to predict overall (OS…

PML risk stratification using anti-JCV antibody index and L-selectin

2015

Background: Natalizumab treatment is associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) development. Treatment duration, prior immunosuppressant use, and JCV serostatus are currently used for risk stratification, but PML incidence stays high. Anti-JCV antibody index and L-selectin (CD62L) have been proposed as additional risk stratification parameters. Objective: This study aimed at verifying and integrating both parameters into one algorithm for risk stratification. Methods: Multicentric, international cohorts of natalizumab-treated MS patients were assessed for JCV index (1921 control patients and nine pre-PML patients) and CD62L (1410 control patients and 17 pre-PML patient…

Predictive validity of the risk SCORE model in a Mediterranean population with dyslipidemia.

2019

Background and aims: Cholesterol treatment for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is based on cardiovascular risk, as assessed by the SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation) scale. This study aimed to assess the predictive value and clinical utility of the SCORE scale for preventing cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in people with dyslipidemia and no lipid-lowering treatment. Methods: Patients with dyslipidemia and no lipid-lowering treatment were included from the ESCARVAL-RISK cohort. Cardiovascular risk was calculated by means of the SCORE scale. All deaths and cardiovascular events were recorded for up to five years of follow-up. We calculated sensitivity, …

Is proteomics of value in cardiovascular risk assessment?

2019

Purpose of review To briefly summarize recently published evidence in the field of cardiovascular proteomics, focusing on its ability to improve cardiovascular risk stratification and critically discussing still open and burning issues and future perspectives of proteomics research. Recent findings Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated an improvement in cardiovascular risk prediction beyond traditional risk factors by adding novel biomarkers, identified by both discovery and targeted proteomics. However, only a moderate improvement in risk discrimination over clinical variables was observed. Moreover, despite different outcomes there was also a strong overlap of identified candi…

Extracellular matrix composition defines an ultra-high-risk group of neuroblastoma within the high-risk patient cohort

2016

Background: Although survival for neuroblastoma patients has dramatically improved in recent years, a substantial number of children in the high-risk subgroup still die. Methods: We aimed to define a subgroup of ultra-high-risk patients from within the high-risk cohort. We used advanced morphometric approaches to quantify and characterise blood vessels, reticulin fibre networks, collagen type I bundles, elastic fibres and glycosaminoglycans in 102 high-risk neuroblastomas specimens. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to correlate the analysed elements with survival. Results: The organisation of blood vessels and reticulin fibres in neuroblastic tumours defined an ultra-high-risk patient subgr…

Anti-PCSK9 treatment: is ultra-low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol always good?

2018

Anti-PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9) monoclonal antibodies (Mab) are novel, potent lipid-lowering drugs. They demonstrated to improve the lipid profile in high cardiovascular risk patients. Anti-PCSK9 Mab inhibit the targeted low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor degradation induced by PCSK9 protein and are able to reduce LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels on top of conventional lipid-lowering therapy. Though these drugs proved to be very safe in the short-term, little is known about the possible long-term effects, due to the short period of their marketing. The genetic low cholesterol syndromes (LCS) represent the natural models of the lipid-lowering anti-PCSK9 therapy, and a…