BACKGROUND Delayed cerebral vasospasm is a feared complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship of systemic inflammation, measured using the systemic immune-inflammation (SII) index, with delayed angiographic or sonographic vasospasm. We hypothesize that early elevations in SII index serve as an independent predictor of vasospasm. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 289 SAH patients for angiographic or sonographic evidence of delayed cerebral vasospasm. SII index [(neutrophils × platelets/lymphocytes)/1000] was calculated from laboratory data at admission and dichotomized based on whether or not the patient developed vasospasm. Multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were performed to determine the ability of SII index to predict the development of vasospasm. RESULTS A total of 246 patients were included in our study, of which 166 (67.5%) developed angiographic or sonographic evidence of cerebral vasospasm. Admission SII index was elevated for SAH in patients with vasospasm compared to those without (P < .001). In univariate logistic regression, leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and SII index were associated with vasospasm. After adjustment for age, aneurysm location, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and modified Fisher scale, SII index remained an independent predictor of vasospasm (odds ratio 1.386, P = .003). ROC analysis revealed that SII index accurately distinguished between patients who develop vasospasm vs those who do not (area under the curve = 0.767, P < .001). CONCLUSION Early elevation in SII index can independently predict the development of delayed cerebral vasospasm in aneurysmal SAH.

No abstract

Spitz tumors represent a distinct subtype of melanocytic lesions with characteristic histopathologic features, some of which are overlapping with melanoma. More common in the pediatric and younger population, they can be clinically suspected by recognizing specific patterns on dermatoscopic examination, and several subtypes have been described. We now classify these lesions into benign Spitz nevi, intermediate lesions identified as “atypical Spitz tumors” (or Spitz melanocytoma) and malignant Spitz melanoma. More recently a large body of work has uncovered the molecular underpinning of Spitz tumors, including mutations in the HRAS gene and several gene fusions involving several protein kinases. Here we present an overarching view of our current knowledge and understanding of Spitz tumors, detailing clinical, histopathological and molecular features characteristic of these lesions.

Our purpose was to assess the safety and efficacy of intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods and Materials: A retrospective review was conducted on all patients who were treated with IMPT for HCC with curative intent from June 2015 to December 2018. All patients had fiducials placed before treatment. Inverse treatment planning used robust optimization with 2 to 3 beams. The majority of patients were treated in 15 fractions (n Z 30, 81%, 52.5-67.5 Gy, relative biological effectiveness), whereas the remainder were treated in 5 fractions (n Z 7, 19%, 37.5-50 Gy, relative biological effectiveness). Daily image guidance consisted of orthogonal kilovoltage x-rays and use of a 6 of freedom robotic couch. Outcomes (local control, progression free survival, and overall survival) were determined using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results: Thirty-seven patients were included. The median follow-up for living patients was 21 months (Q1-Q3, 17-30 months). Pretreatment Child-Pugh score was A5-6 in 70% of patients and B7-9 in 30% of patients. Nineteen patients had prior liver directed therapy for HCC before IMPT. Eight patients (22%) required a replan during treatment, most commonly due to inadequate clinical target volume coverage. One patient (3%) experienced a grade 3 acute toxicity (pain) with no recorded grade 4 or 5 toxicities. An increase in Child-Pugh score by ! 2 within 3 months of treatment was observed in 6 patients (16%). At 1 year, local control was 94%, intrahepatic control was 54%, progression free survival was 35%, and overall survival was 78%.Sources of support: This work had no specific funding. Disclosures: S.K. reports grants from NIH, DoD, CPRIT, Celgene, and Elekta outside the submitted work. In addition, S.K. has issued patents on gold nanoparticles and radiation minibeams. W.L. reports grants from Arizona Biomedical Research Commissioning, grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Career Developmental Award K25CA168984, grants from the Lawrence W. and Marilyn W. Matteson Fund for Cancer Research, and grants from the Kemper Marley Foundation outside the submitted work. In addition, W.L. has a patent, "An Accurate and Efficient Hybrid Method Based on Ray Casting to Calculate Physical Dose and Linear Energy Transfer (LET) Distribution for Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy" with royalties paid to.Decimal LLC. T.T.S. provides strategic and scientific recommendations as a member of the advisory board and a speaker for Novocure, Inc.All data generated and analyzed during this study are included in this published article. Research data are stored in an institutional repository and will be shared upon request to the corresponding author.

No abstract