Nonhemolytic, Nonmotile Gram-Positive Rods Indicative of Bacillus anthracis

We report a 40-year-old female patient who was admitted to the hospital because of a left ovarian mass torsion. A nonhemolytic, nonmotile Bacillus, suspicious of Bacillus anthracis, was isolated from a blood culture. We discuss the evaluation that led to the final identification of the bacterium as B. megaterium

Case reports and the fight against cancer

Some of the earliest case reports describing individual patients afflicted with cancer can be traced all the way back to the papyrus records of Ancient Egyptian medicine of approximately 1600 B.C.. Throughout the centuries physicians have continued the practice of writing case reports. Case reporting has provided significant advances in the knowledge of cancer on several fronts. It is without question that case reports do not replace well designed randomized clinical trials in advancing medical knowledge about cancerous diseases. However, case reports have their unique role in evidence-based medicine and often constitute the first line of evidence. This editorial reviews the many useful aspects of case reports and describes specific reports known to have revolutionized cancer management. Journal of Medical Case Reports is committed to publish well written case reports from around the world and be a source of inspiration for clinicians and scientists about newer research directions

The Relationship Between Frailty and Emotional Health in Older Patients with Advanced Cancer

BackgroundAging‐related deficits that eventually manifest as frailty may be associated with poor emotional health in older patients with advanced cancer. This study aimed to examine the relationship between frailty and emotional health in this population.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of baseline data from a nationwide cluster randomized trial. Patients were aged ≥70 years with incurable stage III/IV solid tumors or lymphomas, had ≥1 geriatric assessment (GA) domain impairment, and had completed the Geriatric Depression Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7, and Distress Thermometer. Frailty was assessed using a Deficit Accumulation Index (DAI; range 0–1) based on GA, which did not include emotional health variables (depression and anxiety), and participants were stratified into robust, prefrail, and frail categories. Multivariate logistic regression models examined the association of frailty with emotional health outcomes. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.ResultsFive hundred forty‐one patients were included (mean age: 77 years; 70–96). DAI ranged from 0.04 to 0.94; 27% of patients were classified as robust, 42% prefrail, and 31% frail. Compared with robust patients, frail patients had an increased risk of screening positive for depression (aOR = 12.8; 95% CI = 6.1–27.0), anxiety (aOR = 6.6; 95% CI = 2.2–19.7), and emotional distress (aOR = 4.62; 95% CI = 2.9–8.3). Prefrail compared with robust patients also had an increased risk of screening positive for depression (aOR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.0–4.8) and distress (aOR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.0–2.8).ConclusionIn older patients with advanced cancer, frailty is associated with poorer emotional health, which indicates a need for an integrated care approach to treating these patients.Implications for PracticeA relationship exists between frailty and poor emotional health in older adults with advanced cancer. Identifying areas of frailty can prompt screening for emotional health and guide delivery of appropriate interventions. Alternatively, attention to emotional health may also improve frailty.Frailty is an aging‐related syndrome. This article examines the relationship between frailty and emotional health in older patients with advanced cancer.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171237/1/onco13975.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171237/2/onco13975_am.pd

Palbociclib in Patients With Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer With CDKN2A Alterations: Results From the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study

PURPOSE The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study is a phase II pragmatic basket trial evaluating antitumor activity of commercially available targeted agents in patients with advanced cancer with genomic alterations known to be drug targets. Results in a cohort of patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with CDKN2A alterations treated with palbociclib are reported. METHODS Eligible patients were ≥ 18 years old with advanced NSCLC, no remaining standard treatment options, measurable disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2, and adequate organ function. Patients with NSCLC with CDKN2A alterations and no Rb mutations received palbociclib 125 mg orally once daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days off. Simon’s two-stage design was used with a primary study end point of objective response or stable disease (SD) of at least 16 weeks in duration. Secondary end points are progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS Twenty-nine patients were enrolled from January 2017 to June 2018; two patients were not evaluable for response but were included in safety analyses. One patient with partial response and six patients with SD were observed, for a disease control rate of 31% (90% CI, 19% to 40%). Median PFS was 8.1 weeks (95% CI, 7.1 to 16.0 weeks), and median OS was 21.6 weeks (95% CI, 14.1 to 41.1 weeks). Eleven patients had at least 1 grade 3 or 4 adverse event (AE) or serious AE (SAE) possibly related to palbociclib (most common, cytopenias). Other AEs or SAEs possibly related to the treatment included anorexia, fatigue, febrile neutropenia, hypophosphatemia, sepsis, and vomiting. CONCLUSION Palbociclib monotherapy demonstrated evidence of modest antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with NSCLC with CDKN2A alterations. Additional investigation is necessary to confirm efficacy and utility of palbociclib in this population

Pertuzumab Plus Trastuzumab in Patients With Lung Cancer With ERBB2 Mutation or Amplification: Results From the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study

PURPOSE: The Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study is a pragmatic basket trial evaluating antitumor activity of commercially available targeted agents in patients with advanced cancers harboring potentially actionable genomic alterations. Data from a cohort of patients with lung cancer and METHODS: Eligible patients had advanced lung cancer of any histology, no standard treatment options, measurable disease (RECIST v1.1), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, adequate organ function, and tumors with RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients with lung cancer (27 non-small-cell, 1 small-cell) and CONCLUSION: Combination P + T showed evidence of antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with non-small-cell lung cancer an