CA-SSR1 Polymorphism in Intron 1 of the EGFR Gene in Patients with Malignant Tumors Who Develop Acneiform Rash Associated with the Use of Cetuximab

Scientometric analysis of trends in global research on acne treatment

Acne or acne vulgaris is the most common chronic inflammatory disease of the sebaceous follicles.

Objectives

The present study aims to identify the main lines of research in the field of acne treatment using reproducible scientometric methods. In this article, we reviewed the following research trends: facial acne, different antibiotics, retinoids, anti-inflammatory drugs, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors therapy, and associated diseases.

Methods

The analysis of publications from the PubMed collection was carried out from 1871 to 2022. All data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The evolution of the terminological portrait of the disease is shown.

Results

Trends in the use of various groups of antibiotics, retinoids, anti-inflammatory drugs, and photodynamic therapy for acne treatment have been found. There is a growing interest in clindamycin and doxycycline (polynomial and exponential growth, respectively). The effects of isotretinoin are also being studied more frequently (active linear growth). The publication of studies on spironolactone is increasing (linear growth). There is also a steady interest in the use of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in the recent years. There is active research on acne and polycystic ovary syndrome (exponential growth).

Limitations

Only articles in English were selected. The most frequent terms were considered.

Conclusions

The dynamics of publication activity in the field of acne was considered. The aim of the current scientometric study was to analyze the global trends in acne treatments. The trend analysis made it possible to identify the most explored areas of research, as well as indicate those areas in dermatology in which interest is declining.

The Regenerative Horizon: Opportunities for Nursing Research and Practice

Background

Regenerative technologies aim to restore organ form and function. Technological advances in regenerative treatments have led to patients increasingly seeking these therapies. The readiness of nursing to fully contribute to this emerging healthcare field is uncertain.

Purpose

The goal of this discipline‐oriented overview is to enhance awareness in the nursing community regarding regenerative science, and to provide suggestions for nursing research contributions and practice implications.

Methods

Evolving and applied cutting‐edge therapies, such as regenerative immunotherapies with chimeric antigen receptor expressing T lymphocytes, are highlighted in the context of emerging opportunities for nurses in practice and research.

Discussion

Next generation nurses will increasingly be at the forefront of new therapies poised to make chronic illnesses curable, thus restoring health and function to diverse groups of individuals.

Clinical Relevance

The regenerative care model imposes on the nursing community the imperative to (a) increase research awareness; (a) educate, develop, and deploy a skilled nursing workforce; (c) integrate regenerative technologies into nursing practice; and (d) embrace the regenerative technologies horizon as a future in health care.

Host genetic profiling to increase drug safety in colorectal cancer from discovery to implementation

Adverse events affect the pharmacological treatment of approximately 90% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients at any stage of the disease. Chemotherapy including fluoropyrimidines, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin is the cornerstone of the pharmacological treatment of CRC. The introduction of novel targeted agents, as anti-EGFR (i.e. cetuximab, panitumumab) and antiangiogenic (i.e. bevacizumab, ziv-aflibercept, regorafenib, and ramucirumab) molecules, into the oncologist's toolbox has led to significant improvements in the life expectancy of advanced CRC patients, but with a substantial increase in toxicity burden. In this respect, pharmacogenomics has largely been applied to the personalization of CRC chemotherapy, focusing mainly on the study of inhered polymorphisms in genes encoding phase I and II enzymes, ATP-binding cassette (ABC)/solute carrier (SLC) membrane transporters, proteins involved in DNA repair, folate pathway and immune response. These research efforts have led to the identification of some validated genetic markers of chemotherapy toxicity, for fluoropyrimidines and irinotecan. No validated genetic determinants of oxaliplatin-specific toxicity, as peripheral neuropathy, has thus far been established. The contribution of host genetic markers in predicting the toxicity associated with novel targeted agents' administration is still controversial due to the heterogeneity of published data. Pharmacogenomics guidelines have been published by some international scientific consortia such as the Clinical Pharmacogenomics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) and the Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group (DPWG) strongly suggesting a pre-treatment dose adjustment of irinotecan based on UGT1A1*28 genotype and of fluoropyrimidines based on some DPYD genetic variants, to increase treatment safety. However, these recommendations are still poorly applied at the patient's bedside. Several ongoing projects in the U.S. and Europe are currently evaluating how pharmacogenomics can be implemented successfully in daily clinical practice. The majority of drug-related adverse events are still unexplained, and a great deal of ongoing research is aimed at improving knowledge of the role of pharmacogenomics in increasing treatment safety. In this review, the issue of pre-treatment identification of CRC patients at risk of toxicity via the analysis of patients' genetic profiles is addressed. Available pharmacogenomics guidelines with ongoing efforts to implement them in clinical practice and new exploratory markers for clinical validation are described.

Epidermal growth factor receptor intron-1 CA repeat polymorphism on protein expression and clinical outcome in Taiwanese oral squamous cell carcinoma

This study was designed to explore the relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) CA repeats polymorphism and protein expression in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A total of 194 OSCCs were examined for EGFR protein overexpression, gene copy number and the length of their CA repeats. The length of the EGFR CA repeats was found not to be associated with EGFR gene copy number or with protein overexpression. To exclude the effect of EGFR gene copy number on protein overexpression, only those OSCC tumors with disomy of the EGFR gene were included in further analysis. In this subgroup, EGFR protein overexpression was significantly associated with poor differentiation of the tumor cells and lymph node metastasis, especially extra-capsular spread. However, EGFR CA repeats were not related to any clinicopathological factor. Interestingly, patients genetically found to have the EGFR CA repeats SS genotype and having tumors with EGFR protein overexpression were found to have a worst prognosis in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 2.68; 95% CI, 1.03-6.98) after multivariate adjustment. The present study demonstrates that concurrent overexpression of EGFR protein in the presence genetically of the SS form CA repeats acts as a predictor for poor DFS.

Correlations between EGFR gene polymorphisms and pleural metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma

Proliferation, growth, and differentiation of cells are strictly controlled by the signal system of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). If any link of the EGFR signals system is interfered with or damaged, the proliferation, growth, and differentiation of cells would become uncontrolled. EGFR is overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors, such as non-small-cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Results of the study have proved that EGFR overexpression is closely associated with mutations and variants of the EGFR genes, whose mutations and variants are associated with occurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of different types of tumors, including lung cancer. This study is aimed at investigating whether the polymorphisms of CA simple sequence repeat in intron 1 (CA-SSR1), -216G/T, and R497K in the EGFR are able to induce EGFR activation and whether overexpression is associated with pleural metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma. A total of 432 lung adenocarcinoma patients with pleural metastasis (metastasis group) and 424 patients with lung adenocarcinoma but without pleural metastasis (nonmetastasis group) were enrolled in this study. For all patients, the CA-SSR1 genotypes were determined by capillary electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction amplification, and direct DNA sequencing, and the R497K and -216G/T genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct DNA sequencing. EGFR expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining in primary tumor tissues with different -216G/T, R497K, and CA-SSR1 genotypes. Our results showed significant differences between pleural metastasis and nonmetastasis groups in the genotype and allele distribution of -216G/T, R497K, and CA-SSR1 polymorphisms of the EGFR gene. The -216T allele, Arg allele, and shorter CA-SSR1 (<17) had significantly increased risks of pleural metastasis compared with the -216G allele, Lys allele, and longer CA-SSR1 (≥17), respectively. The expression of EGFR was higher in patients with genotypes of -216T/T or -216G/T, Arg/Arg or Arg/Lys, and shorter CA-SSR1 (<17) than that in patients with genotypes of -216G/G, Lys/Lys, and longer CA-SSR1 (≥17), respectively. These results indicate that -216G/T, R497K, and CA-SSR1 polymorphisms are associated with the risk of pleural metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma, which may be related to the overexpression of EGFR protein induced by -216G/T, R497K, and CA-SSR1 polymorphisms.

High-throughput screening identified inherited genetic variations in the EGFR pathway contributing to skin toxicity of EGFR inhibitors

Aim: To identify genomic variants in the EGFR pathway and in cytokines predisposing to skin toxicity from EGFR inhibitors. Patients & methods: In 126 patients with cancer and EGFR inhibitor therapy skin toxicity was quantified and EGFR and inflammatory pathway genes were analyzed by deep sequencing. Results: We found 1437 SNPs in the 382-kb target region. Three SNPs in EGFR intron 1 were found exclusively in patients without skin rash. Another EGFR intron 23 SNP was associated with skin rash, overall survival and IL8 plasma concentrations. Moreover, carriers of the PIK3R1 326I variant were predisposed to skin rash and better survival. Conclusion: Comprehensive pathway-based resequencing revealed some new but only moderately strong genomic predictors of skin toxicity.