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Alpha Synuclein (α-Syn) is a protein implicated in mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Syn is primarily a neuronal protein, however, its expression is found in various tumors including ovarian, colorectal and melanoma tumors. It has been hypothesized that neurodegeneration may share common mechanisms with oncogenesis. We tested whether α-Syn expression affects tumorigenesis of three types of tumors. Specifically, B16 melanoma, E0771 mammary gland adenocarcinoma and D122 Lewis lung carcinoma. For this aim, we utilized transgenic mice expression the human A53T α-Syn form. We found that the in vivo growth of B16 and E0771 but not D122 was enhanced in the A53T α-Syn mice. The effect on tumorigenesis was not detected in age-matched APP/PS1 mice, modeling Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting a specific effect for α-Syn- dependent neurodegeneration. Importantly, transgenic α-Syn expression was detected within the three tumor types. We further show uptake of exogenously added, purified α-Syn, by the cultured tumor cells. In accord, with the affected tumorigenesis in the young A53T α-Syn mice, over- expression of α-Syn in cultured B16 and E0771 cells enhanced proliferation, however, had no effect on the proliferation of D122 cells. Based on these results, we suggest that certain forms of α-Syn may selectively accelerate cellular mechanisms leading to cancer.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a grim prognosis. Molecular and genomic analyses revealed that the striking majority of these tumors are driven by KRAS mutation, currently not amenable to targeted therapy. However, other driver mutations were found in a small fraction of patients. Herein we report of 3 cases of patients with metastatic PDAC and wildtype KRAS, found to harbor BRAF or RET pathogenic alterations. The patients were treated with targeted therapies with variable success. In our opinion, those proof-of-concept cases argue in favor of additional research and clinical trials’ effort in this small but significant PDAC population with uncommon driver mutations.

Background and ObjectivesAnterior knee pain (AKP) is the most common knee pathology in athletes and occurs in 15% of army recruits of elite units during basic training. Of these, 50% are symptomatic 6 years later. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a nonthermal red‐to‐near‐infrared irradiation used for pain reduction of a variety of etiologies. This study was designed to determine whether addition of PBM to physiotherapy (PT) for AKP in combat soldiers is superior to PT alone.Study Design/Materials and MethodsIn this prospective, double‐blind, sham‐controlled, randomized clinical trial (NCT02845869), 26 combat soldiers/policemen (male:female, 15:11; body mass index [BMI] = 24.2 ± 3.9,n = 46 knees), with AKP due to overuse/load, received 4 weeks of PT + sham (PT + Sham) or active PBM (wavelength = 660 and 850 nm, pulsing = 2.5 Hz, LED power = 50 mW/cm2[local tissue/regional lymph nodes]; 810 nm continuous beam, laser cluster 6 W/cm2[analgesia] and laser pointer 4.75 W/cm2[trigger points]) (PT + PBM). The main outcome measures were subjective pain by visual analog scale (VAS) (0 [none]–100 [intolerable]) and functional disability by Kujala score (0 [worst]–100 [best]). Evaluations were carried out at baseline, end of treatments, and 3‐month follow‐up.ResultsAll participants completed the treatment protocol without any reported adverse device effects. Post‐treatment pain was significantly reduced in the PT+PBM group, compared with baseline and sham (Δpain, VAS, mean ± SD: PT + PBM = −19 ± 23,P = 0.002; PT + Sham = −6 ± 21,P = 0.16; between groups,P = 0.032). At 3‐month follow‐up, pain reduction was similar between groups; however, the Kujala score was significantly improved only in the PBM‐treated group (ΔKujala: PT + PBM = 11 ± 10,P = 0.003; PT + Sham = 5 ± 7,P = 0.059).ConclusionsAddition of PBM to PT for AKP resulted in earlier reduction in pain and improved functionality, compared with PT alone. This noninvasive, nonpharmacologic, adjunctive therapeutic modality can be easily incorporated into team healthcare frameworks or end units and may lead to earlier return to competition or combat‐level service. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC

Background: A recent prospective trial, the proPSMA study, showed superior specificity and sensitivity of Positron emission tomography (PET) -Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) imaging compared standard Computerized tomography (CT) and bone scan for staging of recently diagnosed high-risk local prostate carcinoma for curative intent treatment. Aim: To share our experience with false-positive PET PSMA scans in newly diagnosed intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Methods and results: Here, we report a series of eight patients who underwent systemic staging using PET-PSMA with false-positive results who were ultimately treated with definitive radiation or surgery. Of the eight patients, two patients were diagnosed with favorable intermediate disease, four with unfavorable intermediate risk, and two with high-risk disease. Seven of eight were shown to have false-positive bone uptake, one patient had uptake in lung nodules. Three patients underwent bone biopsy and proven benign. The rest of the patients were proven as non-metastatic radiologically by repeat PSMA, CT, or Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All subsequently preceded to definitive localized treatment and remain disease free as of this study. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of prudent clinical judgment when utilizing this highly sensitive imaging technique. K E Y W O R D S clinical observations, PET PSMA, prostate cancer 1 | INTRODUCTION Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men worldwide and is second only to lung cancer in cancer mortality among men. 1According to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, 77% present with localized disease, 13% with regional lymph node involvement, and 6% with metastatic disease. 2 The current NCCN guidelines recommend bone scan as initial staging in all patients with high-risk disease defined as T3/T4 or PSA >20 or Gleason 8-10 and intermediate risk defined as T2b and T2c or Gleason 4 + 3 or PSA >10. 3 Similarly, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines recommend bone imaging for all high risk and unfavorable intermediate risk patients as previously defined. 4 PET PSMA has been shown to have higher sensitivity for detection of Yonaton Zarbiv and Yehudit Peerless contributed equally to this study.