Untitled

Drawing.https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/artshow_gallery_2015/1014/thumbnail.jp

Seahorse

Drawing.https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/artshow_gallery_2015/1011/thumbnail.jp

Sea Turtle

Drawing.https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/artshow_gallery_2015/1013/thumbnail.jp

Killer Whale

Drawing.https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/artshow_gallery_2015/1012/thumbnail.jp

A Retrospective Review of CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Adrenal Tumors (Primary and Metastatic): Winthrop University Hospital Experience

The adrenal gland is a common site of cancer metastasis. Surgery remains a mainstay of treatment for solitary adrenal metastasis. For patients who cannot undergo surgery, radiation is an alternative option. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an ablative treatment option allowing larger doses to be delivered over a shorter period of time. In this study, we report on our experience with the use of SBRT to treat adrenal metastases using Cyberknife technology. We retrospectively reviewed, the Winthrop-University radiation oncology data base to identify 14 patients for whom SBRT was administered to treat malignant adrenal disease. Of the factors examined, the biologic equivalent dose (BED) of radiation delivered was found to be the most important predictor of local adrenal tumor control. We conclude that CyberKnife-based SBRT is a safe, non-invasive modality that has broadened the therapeutic options for the treatment of isolated adrenal metastases

Impact of Immunosuppression on Recall Immune Responses to Influenza Vaccination in Stable Renal Transplant Recipients

BackgroundThe recommendation by the American Society of Transplantation for annual trivalent inactivated influenza vaccination greater than 3 to 6 months post-kidney transplantation provides a unique opportunity to test the in vivo impact of immunosuppression on recall T- and B-cell responses to influenza vaccination.MethodsThis study took advantage of recent breakthroughs in the single-cell quantification of human peripheral blood B-cell responses to prospectively evaluate both B- and T-cell responses to the seasonal (2010 and 2011) influenza vaccine in 23 stable renal transplant recipients and 22 healthy controls.Results and conclusionThe results demonstrate that the early B-cell response to influenza vaccination, quantified by the frequency of influenza-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) in peripheral blood, was significantly reduced in stable transplant recipients compared to healthy controls. The magnitude of the seroresponse and the rate of seroconversion were also blunted. The influenza-specific interferon-gamma (IFNγ) T-cell response was significantly reduced in transplant recipients; however, there was no correlation between the magnitude of the influenza-specific IgG ASC and IFNγ responses. The induction of memory T- and B-cell responses to influenza vaccination supports the recommendation to vaccinate while the blunted responses demonstrate the efficacy of immunosuppression in controlling memory responses individual transplant recipients