4 research outputs found
Receipt of NCCN Guideline-Concordant Prostate Cancer Care among African- and Caucasian-American Men in North Carolina
African Americans have a higher incidence of prostate cancer and experience poorer outcomes compared to Caucasian Americans. Racial differences in care are well documented. However, few studies have characterized patients based on their prostate cancer risk category, which is required to differentiate appropriate from inappropriate guideline application
Patient-health care provider communication among patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer: Findings from a population-based survey
To examine the multidimensional concept of patient-health care provider (HCP) communication, its effects on patient satisfaction with oncology care services, and related racial differences
Naturally occurring resistance mutations within the core and NS5B regions in hepatitis C genotypes, particularly genotype 5a, in South Africa
Approximately 1 million South Africans are infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV). The standard of care
(SOC) in South Africa is combination therapy (pegylated interferon and ribavirin). HCV genotypes and/or
mutations in the core/ non-structural regions have been associated with response to therapy and/or disease
progression. This study examines mutations in the core (29-280 amino acids, including ~90 E1 amino
acids) and NS5B (241-306 amino acids) regions on pre-treatment isolates from patients attending
Johannesburg hospitals or asymptomatic South African blood donors. Diversity within known CD4+ and
CD8+ T-cell epitopes was also explored. Samples grouped into subtypes 1a (N=10) 1b (N=12), 3a(N=5),
4a (N=3) and 5a(N=61). Two mutations, associated with interferon resistance–R70Q and T110N–were
present in 29 genotype 5a core sequences. No resistance mutation to NS5B nucleotide inhibitors,
sofosbuvir was found. Six putative CD8+ and one CD4+ T-cell epitope sequence in the core region
showed binding scores of <300 IC50nM to HLA alleles frequently observed in the South African
population. No known CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell epitopes were mapped in the NS5B region. The analysis
begs the question whether those infected with genotype 5a will benefit better on interferon-free
combination therapies. This study provides new insight into one of the lesser studied HCV genotypes and
compares the diversity seen in a large pre-treatment cohort with other subtypes.Poliomyelitis Research Foundation, grant 95097.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/antiviral2017-03-31hb2016Medical Virolog