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Gigliotti BJ, Brooks JA, Wirth LJ. Fundamentals and recent advances in the evaluation and management of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 592:112295. [PMID: 38871174 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare primary neuroendocrine thyroid carcinoma that is distinct from other thyroid or neuroendocrine cancers. Most cases of MTC are sporadic, although MTC exhibits a high degree of heritability as part of the multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes. REarranged during Transfection (RET) mutations are the primary oncogenic drivers and advances in molecular profiling have revealed that MTC is enriched in druggable alterations. Surgery at an early stage is the only chance for cure, but many patients present with or develop metastases. C-cell-specific calcitonin trajectory and structural doubling times are critical biomarkers to inform prognosis, extent of surgery, likelihood of residual disease, and need for additional therapy. Recent advances in the role of active surveillance, regionally directed therapies for localized disease, and systemic therapy with multi-kinase and RET-specific inhibitors for progressive/metastatic disease have significantly improved outcomes for patients with MTC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer A Brooks
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
| | - Lori J Wirth
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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2
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Chu YH. This is Your Thyroid on Drugs: Targetable Mutations and Fusions in Thyroid Carcinoma. Surg Pathol Clin 2023; 16:57-73. [PMID: 36739167 DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This review aims to provide an overview of the molecular pathogenesis thyroid carcinomas, emphasizing genetic alterations that are therapeutically actionable. The main pathways in thyroid carcinogenesis are the MAPK and PI3K pathways. Point mutations and gene rearrangements affecting the pathway effectors and receptor tyrosine kinases are well-known drivers of thyroid cancer. Research over the past few decades has successfully introduced highly effective treatments for unresectable thyroid cancer, evolving from multi-kinase inhibitors to structurally selective agents, with constantly improving toxicity profiles and coverage of resistance mechanisms. The pros and cons of major laboratory techniques for therapeutic target identification are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Hsia Chu
- Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, No. 5, Fuxing Street, Guishan District, Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan.
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3
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Chu YH, Sadow PM. Kinase Fusion-Related Thyroid Carcinomas: Towards Predictive Models for Advanced Actionable Diagnostics. Endocr Pathol 2022; 33:421-435. [PMID: 36308634 PMCID: PMC10283356 DOI: 10.1007/s12022-022-09739-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has brought significant advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of thyroid carcinogenesis. Among thyroid carcinomas, the most successful class of targeted therapeutics appears to be selective kinase inhibitors. Actionable kinase fusions arise in around 10-15% of cases of thyroid cancer, a significant subset. A cohort of molecular testing platforms, both commercial and laboratory-derived, has been introduced into clinical practice to identify patients with targetable tumors, requiring pathologists to develop an integrative approach that utilizes traditional diagnostic cytopathology and histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and cutting-edge molecular assays for optimal diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic efficiency. Furthermore, there has been increasing scrutiny of the clinical behavior of kinase fusion-driven thyroid carcinoma (KFTC), still regarded as papillary thyroid carcinomas, and in characterizing molecular predictors of kinase inhibitor resistance with an aim to establish standardized, evidence-based treatment regimens. This review presents an overview of the current literature on the clinicopathologic and molecular features of KFTC as well as the latest investigational progress and encountered challenges for this unique subset of thyroid neoplasias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Hsia Chu
- Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Peter M Sadow
- Departments of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Pathology Service, WRN 219, 55 Fruit Street, MA, 02114, Boston, USA.
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4
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Integrated proteogenomic characterization of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Cell Discov 2022; 8:120. [DOI: 10.1038/s41421-022-00479-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMedullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine malignancy derived from parafollicular cells (C cells) of the thyroid. Here we presented a comprehensive multi-omics landscape of 102 MTCs through whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, DNA methylation array, proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiling. Integrated analyses identified BRAF and NF1 as novel driver genes in addition to the well-characterized RET and RAS proto-oncogenes. Proteome-based stratification of MTCs revealed three molecularly heterogeneous subtypes named as: (1) Metabolic, (2) Basal and (3) Mesenchymal, which are distinct in genetic drivers, epigenetic modification profiles, clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we explored putative therapeutic targets of each proteomic subtype, and found that two tenascin family members TNC/TNXB might serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for MTC. Collectively, our study expands the knowledge of MTC biology and therapeutic vulnerabilities, which may serve as an important resource for future investigation on this malignancy.
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Chu YH, Sadow PM. Kinase fusion-related thyroid carcinomas: distinct pathologic entities with evolving diagnostic implications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 27:252-262. [PMID: 34484420 DOI: 10.1016/j.mpdhp.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Activating genomic alterations in protein kinases represent a major driving force in thyroid carcinogenesis. Recently, oncogenic kinase fusions have been a central subject of pharmaceutical development, with a rapidly growing number of inhibitors validated for treating molecularly matched malignancies. Thyroid carcinomas harbor actionable kinase fusions in 10-15% of cases, occupying an increasingly recognized subpopulation of thyroid carcinomas with enhanced attention to molecular profiling. With advances in kinase-based cancer therapy, several challenges have emerged for pathologists. To interrogate an expanding list of targetable genes, the diagnostic paradigm has shifted from conventional single-gene methods toward high-throughput nucleic acid sequencing. Considering the relatively low incidence of most kinase fusions, a selective approach for molecular testing that utilizes histologic and immunohistochemical findings in triaging cases becomes essential for laboratory resource management. Moreover, kinase inhibitor resistance inevitably evolves, requiring a multimodal approach to optimal therapy, despite targeted therapies showing an enhanced, durable response. In this review, we assess the current clinicopathologic understanding and ongoing investigational topics in kinase fusion-related thyroid carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Hsia Chu
- Fellow, Molecular Genetic Pathology, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter M Sadow
- Director, Head & Neck Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Departments of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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6
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A BRAF V600E Mutation in RET-Negative Medullary Thyroid Cancer. Case Rep Endocrinol 2020; 2020:7641940. [PMID: 32231814 PMCID: PMC7085839 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7641940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the case of a woman with a sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Genomic analysis found that her tumor did not contain any common RET mutations but did harbor a BRAF V600E mutation. Only one other well-confirmed example of the BRAF V600E mutation has been reported in an MTC patient. We conclude that this common BRAF mutation may independently drive neoplastic transformation of human parafollicular C cells.
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Fallahi P, Ferrari SM, Elia G, Ragusa F, Paparo SR, Ruffilli I, Patrizio A, Materazzi G, Antonelli A. Evaluating vandetanib in the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer: patient-reported outcomes. Cancer Manag Res 2019; 11:7893-7907. [PMID: 31686907 PMCID: PMC6708888 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s127848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Medullary thyroid cancers (MTCs) are neuroendocrine tumors, which secrete calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen, both of which can serve as tumor markers. Extensive and accurate surgical resection is the primary treatment for MTC, whereas the use of external beam radiotherapy is limited. Moreover, since MTC is derived from thyroid parafollicular cells or C cells, it is not responsive to either radioiodine or thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression, and therefore, they cannot be considered as treatment strategies. Traditional therapies for advanced or metastatic progressive medullary thyroid cancer (pMTC) are poorly effective. Among the new approaches tested in clinical trials, targeted chemotherapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are now available and they represent effective interventions for progressive disease, with additional investigational options emerging. This paper reviews the efficacy and safety of vandetanib in patients with a pMTC, as it has been shown to improve progression-free survival (30.5 vs 19.3 months in controls). Vandetanib is approved by the FDA and EMA for symptomatic or progressive MTC in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic disease in adults, adolescents, and children older than 5 years. The most common adverse events in vandetanib-treated patients are diarrhea, rash, folliculitis, nausea, QTc prolongation, hypertension, and fatigue. More data are required to deepen our knowledge on molecular biology of tumor and host defense, with the aim to achieve better prognosis and higher quality of life for affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poupak Fallahi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Giusy Elia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Ragusa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Ilaria Ruffilli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Armando Patrizio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Materazzi
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Antonelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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8
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Sponziello M, Benvenuti S, Gentile A, Pecce V, Rosignolo F, Virzì AR, Milan M, Comoglio PM, Londin E, Fortina P, Barnabei A, Appetecchia M, Marandino F, Russo D, Filetti S, Durante C, Verrienti A. Whole exome sequencing identifies a germline MET mutation in two siblings with hereditary wild-type RET medullary thyroid cancer. Hum Mutat 2017; 39:371-377. [PMID: 29219214 DOI: 10.1002/humu.23378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Whole exome sequencing (WES) was used to investigate two Italian siblings with wild-type RET genotype, who developed medullary thyroid cancers (MTCs) and, later, primary prostate and breast cancers, respectively. The proband's MTC harbored a p.Met918Thr RET mutation; his sister's MTC was RET/RAS wild-type. Both siblings had a germline mutation (p.Arg417Gln) in the extracellular Sema domain of the proto-oncogene MET. Experiments involving ectopic expression of MET p.Arg417Gln in MET-negative T47D breast cancer cells documented the mutant receptor's functionality and its ability to enhance cell migration and invasion. Our findings highlight a possible link between MET germline mutations and MTCs and suggest that MET p. Arg417Gln may promote an invasive malignant phenotype. The possibility that MTC can be driven/co-driven by a MET mutation has potential management implications, since the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor cabozantinib-approved for treating advanced MTCs-is a specific MET inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marialuisa Sponziello
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Benvenuti
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO, IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gentile
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO, IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Valeria Pecce
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Rosignolo
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Rita Virzì
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO, IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Melissa Milan
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO, IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy.,Department of Medical Oncology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo M Comoglio
- Molecular Therapeutics and Exploratory Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO, IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Eric Londin
- Computational Medicine Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Paolo Fortina
- Cancer Genomics Laboratory, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Agnese Barnabei
- Unit of Endocrinology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Diego Russo
- Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Filetti
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Cosimo Durante
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Verrienti
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Ritter DI, Roychowdhury S, Roy A, Rao S, Landrum MJ, Sonkin D, Shekar M, Davis CF, Hart RK, Micheel C, Weaver M, Van Allen EM, Parsons DW, McLeod HL, Watson MS, Plon SE, Kulkarni S, Madhavan S. Somatic cancer variant curation and harmonization through consensus minimum variant level data. Genome Med 2016; 8:117. [PMID: 27814769 PMCID: PMC5095986 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-016-0367-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To truly achieve personalized medicine in oncology, it is critical to catalog and curate cancer sequence variants for their clinical relevance. The Somatic Working Group (WG) of the Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen), in cooperation with ClinVar and multiple cancer variant curation stakeholders, has developed a consensus set of minimal variant level data (MVLD). MVLD is a framework of standardized data elements to curate cancer variants for clinical utility. With implementation of MVLD standards, and in a working partnership with ClinVar, we aim to streamline the somatic variant curation efforts in the community and reduce redundancy and time burden for the interpretation of cancer variants in clinical practice. METHODS We developed MVLD through a consensus approach by i) reviewing clinical actionability interpretations from institutions participating in the WG, ii) conducting extensive literature search of clinical somatic interpretation schemas, and iii) survey of cancer variant web portals. A forthcoming guideline on cancer variant interpretation, from the Association of Molecular Pathology (AMP), can be incorporated into MVLD. RESULTS Along with harmonizing standardized terminology for allele interpretive and descriptive fields that are collected by many databases, the MVLD includes unique fields for cancer variants such as Biomarker Class, Therapeutic Context and Effect. In addition, MVLD includes recommendations for controlled semantics and ontologies. The Somatic WG is collaborating with ClinVar to evaluate MVLD use for somatic variant submissions. ClinVar is an open and centralized repository where sequencing laboratories can report summary-level variant data with clinical significance, and ClinVar accepts cancer variant data. CONCLUSIONS We expect the use of the MVLD to streamline clinical interpretation of cancer variants, enhance interoperability among multiple redundant curation efforts, and increase submission of somatic variants to ClinVar, all of which will enhance translation to clinical oncology practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah I Ritter
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Angshumoy Roy
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shruti Rao
- Innovation Center for Biomedical Informatics and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Meredith Weaver
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Donald W Parsons
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Michael S Watson
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sharon E Plon
- Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Subha Madhavan
- Innovation Center for Biomedical Informatics and Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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10
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Nozhat Z, Hedayati M, Pourhassan H. Signaling pathways in medullary thyroid carcinoma: therapeutic implications. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINE ONCOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2217/ije-2016-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is the third most frequent thyroid cancer arising from thyroid parafollicular cells. Surgery is the first-line strategy in treatment of MTC but disease relapse and patient's death have been observed in approximately two out of three of MTC cases. Identification of molecular mechanisms and different signaling pathways has offered new insights for disease treatment. The development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting these pathways has provided a promising landscape for prevention of progression in patients with advanced metastatic MTC. In this review article different altered molecular pathways implicated in the development of MTC and the therapeutic strategies based on targeting the identified signaling pathways have been summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Nozhat
- Cellular & Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Biotechnology Department, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Hedayati
- Cellular & Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hoda Pourhassan
- Clinical Instructor Faculty, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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Fallahi P, Ferrari SM, Baldini E, Biricotti M, Ulisse S, Materazzi G, Miccoli P, Antonelli A. The safety and efficacy of vandetanib in the treatment of progressive medullary thyroid cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2016; 16:1109-1118. [DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2016.1238764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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