Article
Microbiology
Sara Ornaghi, Alice Maraschini, Marta Buoncristiano, Edoardo Corsi Decenti, Elisabetta Colciago, Irene Cetin, Serena Donati
Summary: Italy conducted a population-based study on maternal sepsis occurring before or after childbirth. The study found an incidence rate of 5.5 per 10,000 maternities. Genital, respiratory, and urinary tract infections were the predominant sources of infection, mainly caused by E. coli and polymicrobial infections. It is important to raise awareness of maternal sepsis and its risk factors and management.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Cari M. Kitahara, Dagrun Slettebo Daltveit, Anders Ekbom, Anders Engeland, Mika Gissler, Ingrid Glimelius, Tom Grotmol, Ylva Trolle Lagerros, Laura Madanat-Harjuoja, Tuija Mannisto, Henrik Toft Sorensen, Rebecca Troisi, Tone Bjorge
Summary: Thyroid cancer is often diagnosed at a younger age compared to other malignancies, with in-utero exposures related to maternal thyroid disorders being associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer in offspring. The study used registry data from four Nordic countries to assess these associations and found that factors such as higher birth weight, congenital hypothyroidism, and maternal thyroid disorders were linked to a higher risk of thyroid cancer in offspring.
LANCET DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yitao Huo, Yanjian Wan, Qingzhu Huang, Aizhen Wang, Gaga Mahai, Zhenyu He, Shunqing Xu, Wei Xia
Summary: This study found that pregnant women in central China are widely exposed to pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the environment. The study also reports for the first time that PCP exposure may increase the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with potential effect modifications by maternal age and fetal sex.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Yingxuan Zhang, Si Chen, Xiaofeng Chen, Huimin Zhang, Xuge Huang, Xiaomeng Xue, Yinan Guo, Xiaofeng Ruan, Xiaorong Liu, Gaopi Deng, Songping Luo, Jie Gao
Summary: This study found that high levels of Gardnerella were associated with tubal pregnancy in women with symptomatic early pregnancy.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yi Long Toh, Chia Jie Tan, Ning Yi Yap, Ritesh Parajuli, Aik Jiang Lau, Alexandre Chan
Summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between hormone levels and cognitive symptoms in breast cancer survivors. The study found that levels of estradiol and DHEA(S) decreased during adjuvant chemotherapy, and breast cancer survivors with cognitive impairment showed a smaller decline in DHEA(S) levels compared to non-impaired patients. In contrast, patients with cognitive impairment showed a greater decline in estradiol levels. This suggests that the hormonal pathway related to DHEA(S) may be implicated in acute cognitive impairment for breast cancer survivors.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Margaret Banker, Muraly Puttabyatappa, Patrick O'Day, Jaclyn M. Goodrich, Angela S. Kelley, Steven E. Domino, Yolanda R. Smith, Dana C. Dolinoy, Peter X. K. Song, Richard J. Auchus, Vasantha Padmanabhan
Summary: This study demonstrates the association of steroids with pregnancy outcomes depending on maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and fetal sex, with the effects of EDCs differing when considered individually or as mixtures. Steroidal hormonal measures have the potential to serve as biomarkers of the impact of EDC exposures and pregnancy outcomes.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Astrid L. Beck, Cecilie S. Uldbjerg, Youn-Hee Lim, Brent A. Coull, Karina M. Sorensen, Magdalena M. Utko, Bartlomiej Wilkowski, Panu Rantakokko, Marie Bengtsson, Christian Lindh, Jorgen H. Petersen, Niels E. Skakkebaek, Russ Hauser, Anders Juul, Elvira V. Brauner
Summary: Maternal smoking during pregnancy does not appear to be significantly associated with the risk of testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC) in offspring, based on a study using cotinine measurements as a biomarker for tobacco exposure. The study found comparable cotinine levels in maternal serum and amniotic fluid, but no significant association between active tobacco use and TGCC risk. However, different risks were observed for different types of TGCC, although they were not statistically significant.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Wendy R. Munoz-Montano, Paula Cabrera-Galeana, Cynthia De la Garza-Ramos, Hatem A. Azim, Ariana Tabares, Victor Perez, Fanny Porras Reyes, Daniel Sanchez Benitez, Alberto Alvarado-Miranda, Fernando Lara-Medina, Rafael Vazquez Romo, Enrique Bargallo-Rocha, Oscar Arrieta, Cynthia Villarreal-Garza
Summary: The study found that PABC patients have worse disease-free survival rates, especially in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative and HER2-positive diseases. Pregnant and postpartum status independently impact disease-free survival.
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Deborah A. Bilder, Whitney Worsham, Scott Sullivan, M. Sean Esplin, Paul Burghardt, Alison Fraser, Amanda V. Bakian
Summary: This study examines the link between early second trimester maternal steroid-related serum biomarkers and the risk of autism in offspring. Findings suggest that elevated levels of estradiol in male fetuses and decreased levels of sex hormone binding globulin in both sexes are associated with increased autism risk.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jianhao Sun, Baohong Mao, Zhenzhen Wu, Xinjuan Jiao, Yanxia Wang, Yongli Lu, Xuejing Ma, Xiaohui Liu, Xiaoying Xu, Hongmei Cui, Xiaojuan Lin, Bin Yi, Jie Qiu, Qing Liu
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between prenatal titanium exposure and the risk of congenital heart defects (CHDs) in offspring. The results showed that higher concentrations of titanium in maternal blood were associated with an increased risk of CHDs, as well as multiple CHDs, atrial septal defects, and patent ductus arteriosus. Higher concentrations of titanium in umbilical cord blood were also associated with an increased risk of CHDs and different heart defects. Therefore, titanium exposure may cross the placental barrier and contribute to the occurrence of CHDs.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Xiangrong Xu, Yuanyuan Wang, Na Han, Xiangming Yang, Yuelong Ji, Jue Liu, Chuyao Jin, Lizi Lin, Shuang Zhou, Shusheng Luo, Heling Bao, Zheng Liu, Bin Wang, Lailai Yan, Hai-Jun Wang, Xu Ma
Summary: The study found that early pregnancy exposure to lower levels of REE mixture was associated with an increased risk of GDM, with Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), and Lanthanum (La) being the most important contributors in the mixture.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Irene Bartha, Miguel de la Fuente, Maria de la Calle, Elena Martin Boado, Nuria Martinez-Sanchez, Jose Luis Bartha
Summary: Respiratory allergy has an influence on obstetrics and perinatal outcomes, increasing the risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight; however, these effects may be mediated by factors such as infertility, in vitro fertilization, and multiple gestation rate.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGY & OBSTETRICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Manon Cairat, Sabina Rinaldi, Anne-Sophie Navionis, Isabelle Romieu, Carine Biessy, Vivian Viallon, Anja Olsen, Anne Tjonneland, Agnes Fournier, Gianluca Severi, Marina Kvaskoff, Renee T. Fortner, Rudolf Kaaks, Krasimira Aleksandrova, Matthias B. Schulze, Giovanna Masala, Rosario Tumino, Sabina Sieri, Chiara Grasso, Amalia Mattiello, Inger T. Gram, Karina Standahl Olsen, Antonio Agudo, Pilar Amiano Etxezarreta, Maria-Jose Sanchez, Carmen Santiuste, Aurelio Barricarte, Evelyn Monninkhof, Anouk E. Hiensch, David Muller, Melissa A. Merritt, Ruth C. Travis, Elisabete Weiderpass, Marc J. Gunter, Laure Dossus
Summary: This study investigated the association between inflammatory markers and breast cancer risk. The findings suggest a potential dual effect of obesity on breast cancer risk among premenopausal and postmenopausal women, with leptin, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, and CRP showing different associations in each group. Further research is warranted to better understand these relationships.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Jin, Zhiyi Li, Hang An, Yiming Pang, Kexin Li, Yali Zhang, Le Zhang, Lailai Yan, Bin Wang, Rongwei Ye, Zhiwen Li, Aiguo Ren
Summary: This study found that higher maternal blood titanium concentration in early pregnancy may increase the risk of low birth weight infants, with lipid metabolism and oxidative stress potentially playing important roles in the health effects associated with titanium exposure during pregnancy.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martina Piasek, Lana Skrgatic, Antonija Sulimanec, Tatjana Orct, Ankica Sekovanic, Jelena Kovacic, Anja Katic, Karmen Branovic Cakanic, Alica Pizent, Natasa Brajenovic, Andreja Juric, Irena Brcic Karaconji, Zorana Kljakovic-Gaspic, Blanka Tariba Lovakovic, Maja Lazarus, Sandra Stasenko, Iva Miskulin, Jasna Jurasovic
Summary: This study examines the interaction between toxic elements cadmium and lead, exposure from cigarette smoking, essential elements, and steroidogenesis in the maternal-placental-fetal unit. The results show that smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased levels of cadmium in maternal, placental, and fetal compartments, increased levels of lead in the placenta, and decreased levels of iron in the placenta. The study also provides new insights into the disruption of sex steroid hormones in umbilical cord serum.
Article
Oncology
Liisa Porra, Lauri Wendland, Tiina Seppala, Hanna Koivunoro, Hannu Revitzer, Jussi Tervonen, Leena Kankaanranta, Anu Anttonen, Mikko Tenhunen, Heikki Joensuu
Summary: The authors reviewed the results of 249 patients treated with boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) at Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. They found that BNCT using l-boronophenylalanine-fructose (l-BPA-F) as the boron delivery agent was well tolerated and showed efficacy in the treatment of head and neck cancer and malignant glioma. They also described a new hospital BNCT facility that integrates a proton accelerator-based neutron source for treatment planning and positioning.
CANCER BIOTHERAPY AND RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jouko Levijoki, Lasse Saloranta, Johanna Tuunainen, Janne Kaskinoro, Sari Pappinen, Sandra Nourry, Anne-Marie Betat, Anne Maurin, Maarit Pakarinen, Sari Hakkinen, Johanna Tervapuro, Hertta Pihlasvaara, Christophe Drieu La Rochelle, Heikki Joensuu
Summary: Ocular administration of palonosetron as eye drops can effectively prevent and treat nausea and vomiting. This method provides a quick and convenient way to deliver the medication when intravenous administration is not possible.
JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Renee Turzanski Fortner, Kristen D. Brantley, Shelley S. Tworoger, Rulla M. Tamimi, Bernard Rosner, Maryam S. Farvid, Michelle D. Holmes, Walter C. Willett, A. Heather Eliassen
Summary: Physical activity is associated with better outcomes following breast cancer diagnosis. A study found that higher postdiagnosis activity levels were inversely associated with breast cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality. Specifically, walking and strength training were associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality. These findings further support the importance of increasing physical activity after a breast cancer diagnosis.
JNCI CANCER SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Heikki Joensuu, Eva Wardelmann, Mikael Eriksson, Annette Reichardt, Kirsten Sundby Hall, Jochen Schuette, Silke Cameron, Peter Hohenberger, Harri Sihto, Philipp J. Jost, Lars H. Lindner, Sebastian Bauer, Bengt Nilsson, Raija Kallio, Tommi Pesonen, Peter Reichardt
Summary: This study found that patients with KIT exon 11 deletion/indel mutation in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) had longer overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) when treated with 3 years of adjuvant imatinib compared to 1 year of treatment. However, patients with KIT exon 9 mutation had poor OS regardless of the duration of adjuvant imatinib treatment.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Renee Turzanski Fortner, Cassia B. Trewin-Nybraten, Torbjorn Paulsen, Hilde Langseth
Summary: Contemporary data on ovarian cancer survival in Norway were evaluated, revealing differences in survival rates based on histotype, FIGO stage, cytoreduction surgery, and residual disease. Overall survival for non-epithelial ovarian cancer was good. Survival rates varied for different histotypes and stages of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kaisa Lehtomaki, Eetu Heerva, Pirkko-Liisa Kellokumpu-Lehtinen, Harri Mustonen, Tapio Salminen, Heikki Joensuu, Kethe Hermunen, Mogens Karsbol Boisen, Julia Sidenius Johansen, Caj Haglund, Pia Osterlund
Summary: Based on the analysis of clinical data from patients with colorectal cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy, it was found that CEA levels transiently increased in about half of the patients during the treatment. Compared to patients with a persistent increase, those with transiently increased CEA had better outcomes in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Elizaveta Skarga, Heljae-Marja Surcel, Rudolf Kaaks, Tim Waterboer, Renee T. Fortner
Summary: Serologic markers of sexually transmitted infection history and EOC risk were evaluated. CT infection was not associated with EOC risk, while MG infection was positively associated with mucinous EOC risk.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Chao Cheng, Wei Hong, Yafang Li, Xiangjun Xiao, James McKay, Younghun Han, Jinyoung Byun, Bo Peng, Demetrios Albanes, Stephen Lam, Adonina Tardon, Chu Chen, Stig E. Bojesen, Maria T. Landi, Mattias Johansson, Angela Risch, Heike Bickeboeller, H-Erich Wichmann, David C. Christiani, Gad Rennert, Susanne Arnold, Gary Goodman, John K. Field, Michael P. A. Davies, Sanjay S. Shete, Loic Le Marchand, Geoffrey Liu, Rayjean J. Hung, Angeline S. Andrew, Lambertus A. Kiemeney, Meng Zhu, Hongbing Shen, Shan Zienolddiny, Kjell Grankvist, Mikael Johansson, Angela Cox, Yun-Chul Hong, Jian-Min Yuan, Philip Lazarus, Matthew B. Schabath, Melinda C. Aldrich, Paul Brennan, Yong Li, Olga Gorlova, Ivan Gorlov, Christopher I. Amos, INTEGRAL ILCCO Lung Canc Consortium
Summary: By analyzing the high-density genotyping data from the OncoArray study of INTEGRALILCCO, we found an association between mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs) in white blood cells and increased risk of lung cancer, especially certain specific types of alterations. This study established a link between mCAs in white blood cells and increased risk of lung cancer.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jodi M. Carter, Saranya Chumsri, Douglas A. Hinerfeld, Yaohua Ma, Xue Wang, David Zahrieh, David W. Hillman, Kathleen S. Tenner, Jennifer M. Kachergus, Heather Ann Brauer, Sarah E. Warren, David Henderson, Ji Shi, Yi Liu, Heikki Joensuu, Henrik Lindman, Roberto A. Leon-Ferre, Judy C. Boughey, Minetta C. Liu, James N. Ingle, Krishna R. Kalari, Fergus J. Couch, Keith L. Knutson, Matthew P. Goetz, Edith A. Perez, E. Aubrey Thompson
Summary: The use of spatial immunobiomarker quantitation is being actively explored in the prognosis and prediction of therapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, high-plex quantitative digital spatial profiling was used to analyze the immune protein microenvironments in treatment-naive TNBC. The results show that immune protein profiles differ significantly in intraepithelial and adjacent stromal microenvironments, and the enrichment of certain immune proteins is associated with better outcomes, highlighting the importance of spatial microenvironments in predicting the prognosis of TNBC.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Sherif Samer Attalla, Jonathan Boucher, Hailey Proud, Tarek Taifour, Dongmei Zuo, Virginie Sanguin-Gendreau, Chen Ling, Gabriella Johnson, Vincent Li, Robin B. Luo, Hellen Kuasne, Vasilios Papavasiliou, Logan A. Walsh, Mark Barok, Heikki Joensuu, Morag Park, Philippe P. Roux, William J. Muller
Summary: The tumor-immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a crucial role in therapeutic response, and this study reveals the association of HER2A16 variant with poor clinical outcome in breast cancer and the immune cold phenotype of HER2A16 tumors. ENPP1 is identified as a functional regulator of the immune cold microenvironment, and targeting ENPP1 may have therapeutic potential in aggressive HER2 positive breast cancer.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Anil K. Giri, Mervi Aavikko, Linnea Wartiovaara, Toni Lemmetyinen, Juha Karjalainen, Juha Mehtonen, Kimmo Palin, Niko Valimaki, Max Tamlander, Riikka Saikkonen, Auli Karhu, Ekaterina Morgunova, Benjamin Sun, Heiko Runz, Priit Palta, Shuang Luo, Heikki Joensuu, Tomi P. Makela, Iiro Kostiainen, Camilla Schalin-Jantti, Aarno FinnGen, Aarno Palotie, Lauri A. Aaltonen, Saara Ollila, Mark J. Daly
Summary: This study is the largest genome-wide association study on small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) to date, and it identified 6 significant loci associated with SI-NET risk. Four of these loci are novel, and one of the top hits is a missense variant in the LGR5 gene, a marker of adult intestinal stem cells.
Article
Oncology
Michael C. Heinrich, Christopher L. Corless, George D. Demetri, Charles D. Blanke, Margaret von Mehren, Heikki Joensuu, Laura S. Mcgreevey, Chang-Jie Chen, Annick D. van den Abbeele, Brian J. Druker, Beate Kiese, Burton Eisenberg, Peter J. Roberts, Samuel Singer, Christopher D. M. Fletcher, Sandra Silberman, Sasa Dimitrijevic, Jonathan A. Fletcher
Summary: This study found that most GISTs have activating mutations in KIT or PDGFRA, and the occurrence of these mutations is related to clinical response to imatinib. PDGFRA mutations can explain the response and sensitivity to imatinib in some GISTs without KIT mutations.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Robert Hugh Jones, Karim Fizazi, Nicholas D. James, Teuvo L. Tammela, Nobuaki Matsubara, Frank Priou, Philippe Beuzeboc, Thierry Lesimple, Petri Bono, Vesa Kataja, Jorge A. Garcia, Andrew Protheroe, Neal Shore, John Aspegren, Heikki Joensuu, Iris Kuss, Sabine Fiala-Buskies, Egils Vjaters
Summary: This study of long-term darolutamide treatment found that it was well tolerated in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, with no new safety signals observed.
PROSTATE CANCER AND PROSTATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Heikki Joensuu
Summary: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a common sarcoma arising from the gastrointestinal tract, mainly the stomach, with varying malignancy potential. Surgery is generally curative for localized GISTs. Adjuvant imatinib has been shown to improve recurrence-free survival and overall survival (OS) in high-risk GIST patients with an imatinib-sensitive mutation.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nina Sophia Decker, Theron Johnson, Johannes A. Vey, Charlotte Le Cornet, Sabine Behrens, Nadia Obi, Rudolf Kaaks, Jenny Chang-Claude, Renee Turzanski Fortner
Summary: Recent studies have shown associations between a range of circulating oxysterols and mortality following a breast cancer diagnosis, particularly with cardiovascular disease death. However, these associations were not statistically significant after adjusting for multiple comparisons.