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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intravoxel-incoherent-motion (IVIM) magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) and positron-emission-tomography (PET) have been investigated independently but not voxel-wise to evaluate tumor microenvironment in cervical carcinoma patients. Whether regionally combined information of IVIM and PET offers additional predictive benefit over each modality independently has not been explored. Here, we investigated parametric-response-mapping (PRM) of co-registered PET and IVIM in cervical cancer patients to identify sub-volumes that may predict tumor shrinkage to concurrent-chemoradiation-therapy (CCRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty cervical cancer patients (age: 63[41-85]) were retrospectively evaluated. Diffusion-weighted-images (DWIs) were acquired on 3.0 T MRIs using a free-breathing single-shot-spin echo-planar-imaging (EPI) sequence. Pre- and on-treatment (∼after four-weeks of CCRT) MRI and pre-treatment FDG-PET/CT were acquired. IVIM model-fitting on the DWIs was performed using a Bayesian-fitting simplified two-compartment model. Three-dimensional rigidly-registered maps of PET/CT standardized-uptake-value (SUV) and IVIM diffusion-coefficient (D) and perfusion-fraction (f) were generated. Population-means of PET-SUV, IVIM-D and IVIM-f from pre-treatment-scans were calculated and used to generate PRM via a voxel-wise joint-histogram-analysis to classify voxels as high/low metabolic-activity and with high/low (hi/lo) cellular-density. Similar PRM maps were generated for SUV and f. RESULTS: Tumor-volume (p

The current study investigated the utility of the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change-Phrase Speech Young Fluent (BOSCC-PSYF) as an outcome measure of treatment response by analyzing the measures psychometric properties and initial validity. The BOSCC coding scheme was applied to 345 administrations from 160 participants diagnosed with autism. Participants included individuals of any age with phrase speech, or individuals under the age of 8 years with complex sentences. All were receiving behavioral intervention throughout the study. Test-retest and inter-rater reliability were good for the Early Communication and Social Reciprocity/Language domains, and fair for the Restricted and Repetitive Behavior domain. Significant changes occurred over time in the Early Communication and Social Reciprocity/Language domains, and Core Total scores. The BOSCC-PSYF may provide a low-cost, flexible, and user-friendly outcome measure that reliably measures changes in broad social communicative behaviors in a short period of time.

Purpose: To investigate the association between oxidative stress (OS) and both the risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and the treatment response to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections (anti-VEGF IVIs). Methods: This retrospective study included 46 treatment-naïve nAMD eyes of 46 patients (26 male and 20 female) who received anti-VEGF IVIs with a "treat-and-extend" regimen following an initial loading phase for one year. The patients were divided into two groups according to the total number of anti-VEGF IVIs administered during the year: the "effective" group and the "resistant" group. OS was evaluated by diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and skin autofluorescence (SAF) at baseline. For comparison, 54 control subjects were recruited. Results: There were no significant differences in d-ROM or BAP levels between control subjects and nAMD patients, regardless of sex, whereas SAF levels were higher in nAMD patients overall and in male nAMD patients than in controls (P < 0.001 for both). The effective and resistant groups included 30 and 16 eyes, respectively. Among the male nAMD patients, the effective and resistant groups had similar baseline characteristics, including age, smoking history, visual acuity, and central macular thickness; however, the resistant group had higher SAF levels (effective vs. resistant: 2.3 vs. 2.6 arbitrary units [AU]; P = 0.02). This finding was further supported by a multiple logistic regression analysis, which showed that the odds ratio for SAF was 1.57 per 0.1 AU increase (P = 0.01). Conclusion: SAF levels were significantly higher in nAMD patients than in controls. The total number of anti-VEGF IVIs required over one year in male nAMD patients depended on SAF levels, suggesting that the SAF levels may serve as a potential biomarker for the response to anti-VEGF IVIs in nAMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigates electrophysiological distinctions in auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) among individuals with chronic subjective tinnitus, with a specific focus on the impact of treatment response and tinnitus localisation. Methods: Early AEPs, known as Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR), and middle AEPs, termed Auditory Middle Latency Responses (AMLR), were analysed in tinnitus patients across four clinical centers in an attempt to verify increased neuronal activity, in accordance with the current tinnitus models. Our statistical analyses primarily focused on discrepancies in time–domain core features of ABR and AMLR signals, including amplitudes and latencies, concerning both treatment response and tinnitus laterality. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in ABR wave III and V latencies, ABR wave III peak amplitude, and AMLR wave Na and Nb amplitudes when comparing groups based on their response to treatment, accompanied by varying effect sizes. Conversely, when examining groups categorised by tinnitus laterality, no statistically significant differences emerged. Conclusions: These results provide valuable insights into the potential influence of treatment responses on AEPs. However, further research is imperative to attain a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms at play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), the response to treatment is evaluated based on microbiological, clinical, and radiological data. However, little is known about the dynamics of CT findings. The aim of this study was to evaluate CT changes in NTM-PD in order to define radiological criteria for treatment success. Methods: Retrospective multicenter study (Hannover, Heidelberg, Gauting). Sixty patients with NTM-PD and at least two consecutive CT scans were included. Scoring for NTM-PD was performed by evaluating variables of bronchiectasis, mucus plugging, bronchiolitis, cavities, nodules, and consolidations on an ordinal scale from 0 to 3. Differences between baseline and follow-up were calculated, and patients with/without cultural conversion were compared using the Mann–Whitney U-test. For paired comparison of the two consecutive CT scans the Wilcoxon test was used. Results: Comparing patients with and without culture conversion, there were significant differences in temporal changes of bronchiectasis (p < 0.001), cavities (p = 0.006), bronchiolitis (p < 0.001), consolidations (p = 0.004), and total score (p < 0.001). Nodules showed no significant differences between groups (p = 0.060). The Wilcoxon test showed significant differences between both CTs in patients with a microbiological cure for the total score (p < 0.001), cavities (p = 0.005), bronchiolitis (p < 0.001), and consolidations (p = 0.021) with a decrease after microbiological cure, whereas bronchiectasis (p = 0.102) and nodules (p = 0.18) stayed stable. In the case of persistently positive cultures, there was an increase in the total score (p = 0.010) which was attributable to progressive bronchiectasis (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Cavities, consolidations, and bronchiolitis are useful to assess treatment response, whereas bronchiectasis and nodules may remain stable despite successful treatment. Clinical relevance statement: Cavities, consolidations, and bronchiolitis can assess treatment response whereas bronchiectasis and nodules may remain stable despite successful treatment. In persistently positive cultures, bronchiectasis showed an increase over time indicating that NTM-PD is a progressive chronic disease. Key Points: Little is known about CT changes in nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) and criteria to evaluate treatment response. In the case of culture conversion, cavities and bronchiolitis decreased whereas bronchiectasis and nodules remained stable. Cavities and bronchiolitis can evaluate treatment response in NTM, but bronchiectasis and nodules may persist despite successful treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus targeting the immune system and the primary agent causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), can have fatal consequences. Although antiretroviral treatment has significantly reduced mortality and comorbidity in people living with HIV (PLHIV), its impact on metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains notable. Several genome-wide association studies have identified a link between the glucokinase gene (GCK) and MetS, particularly in type 2 diabetes. However, no studies have investigated the association between this gene and HIV status. Our study aims to evaluate the association of the rs1799884 polymorphism in the GCK gene with HIV status in a group of Moroccan patients. This case–control study includes 207 PLHIV and 181 HIV-uninfected controls. Genotyping of the rs1799884 polymorphism in the GCK gene was performed using a predesigned TaqMan single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assay. The genotypic distribution between PLHIV and HIV-uninfected controls revealed a significant difference. Patients with the CT genotype had a 4.47-fold increased risk of infection [odds ratio (OR) = 4.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.75–7.29; p =.001]. However, the TT genotype conferred protection against HIV in a recessive model (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.28–0.91; p =.021). Interestingly, the risk associated with the CT genotype was even higher in AIDS-related cases (OR = 9.37; 95% CI = 4.32–20.36; p =.0001). Additionally, under the dominant model, individuals with CT and TT genotypes had a 7.67-fold increased risk of infection (OR = 7.67; 95% CI = 3.60–16.36; p <.0001). However, the TT genotype under the recessive model was not significantly associated with disease progression. No significant association was observed between these genotypes and CD4 count; however, there was a significant variation in viral load after treatment. Our findings suggest that the rs1799884-C/T variant of the GCK gene may influence susceptibility to HIV status, progression to AIDS, and response to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Classifying uterine fibroid using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) classification system assists treatment decision-making and planning. This study aimed to study whether different fibroid locations influence clinical outcomes following uterine artery embolization (UAE). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent UAE for symptomatic uterine fibroid between December 2016 and January 2023 at our hospital. Changes in mean fibroid volume were compared based on MR images. Menstrual pain, excessive flow symptoms, and treatment satisfaction before UAE and 6 months after UAE were compared. Results: A total of 149 premenopausal patients (mean age 45.7 ± 2.7 years) were included for analysis (FIGO 2/3, n = 57; FIGO 4–7, n = 92). Baseline menstrual pain, fibroid, and uterine volume before UAE were comparable between the two FIGO groups (p > 0.05). The menstrual flow index was higher for the FIGO 2/3 group (mean ± SD [min–max]: 9.4 ± 1.4 [4–10] vs 8.0 ± 2.3 [0–10], p < 0.001). Six months after UAE, the improvements in menstrual flow index (mean ± SD]: -3.7 ± 2.6 vs -2.6 ± 2.2, p = 0.035), fibroid volume (mean ± SD: -54.7 ± 21.7% vs -39.8 ± 16.2%, p < 0.001), and uterine volume (mean ± SD: -38.2 ± 16.3% vs -31.1 ± 11.6%, p = 0.008) in the FIGO 2/3 group were significantly higher than the FIGO 4–7 group. Both groups had comparable improvements in menstrual pain index (-2.1 ± 2.6 vs -1.8 ± 2.5, p = 0.008) and 88% of the patients were satisfied or very satisfied overall. Conclusion: UAE treatment satisfaction was high for patients with fibroids at different FIGO stages. UAE treatment outcomes were better for patients with fibroids affecting the endometrium (FIGO 2/3). Level of evidence: 3B, Retrospective observational study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Accurate and reproducible spleen volume measurements are essential for assessing treatment response and disease progression in myelofibrosis. This study evaluates techniques for measuring spleen volume on abdominal MRI. Methods: In 20 patients with bone marrow biopsy-proven myelofibrosis, 5 observers independently measured spleen volume on 3 abdominal MRI pulse sequences, 3D-spoiled gradient echo T1, axial single-shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) T2, and coronal SSFSE T2, using ellipsoidal approximation, manual contouring, and 3D nnU-Net model-assisted contouring comparing coefficients of variation. Changes in spleen volume were compared to all information to assess which measurement technique tracked disease progression with the greatest accuracy. Results: The coefficient of variation in spleen volume measurements averaging over 3 sequences was significantly lower for model-assisted contouring, 1.6% and manual contouring, 3.5%, compared to ellipsoidal estimation from 3 dimensions measured on axial and coronal T2 images, 15, p < 0.001. In 4 subjects with divergent treatment response predictions, model-assisted contouring was consistent with all information while ellipsoidal estimation was not. Manual contouring tracked similarly to model-assisted contouring but required more operator time. Conclusions: Model-assisted segmentations provide efficient and more reproducible spleen volume measurements compared to estimates of spleen volume from ellipsoidal approximations and improve objective determinations of clinical trial enrollment eligibility based upon spleen volume as well as assessments of treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Radiotherapy is the primary and only curative treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The adoption of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) alone or combined with optimized chemotherapeutic strategies has improved survival rates while reducing treatment-related toxicities. However, the persistent tumor status, including residual tumor presence and early recurrence, is the predominant cause of treatment failure, associated with poorer survival outcomes. This study extracted the radiomic features from pretreatment PET images, which were used to construct a prediction model to identify patients with NPC at high risk of having persistent tumors after treatment. The model trained by the AdaBoost algorithm showed significant diagnostic performance in predicting treatment failure. This model exhibited the feasibility of assisting clinicians in identifying high-risk patients before treatment, allowing for more personalized treatment plans and improving patient outcomes. Background/Objectives: The duration of the response to radiotherapy-related treatment is a critical prognostic indicator for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Persistent tumor status, including residual tumor presence and early recurrence, is associated with poorer survival outcomes. To address this, we developed a prediction model to identify patients at a high risk of persistent tumor status prior to initiating treatment. Methods: This retrospective study included 104 patients with NPC receiving radiotherapy-related treatment who had completed a 3-year follow-up period; 29 were classified into the persistent tumor status group and 75 into the disease-free group. Radiomic features were extracted from pretreatment positron emission tomography (PET) images and used to construct a prediction model by employing machine learning algorithms. The model's diagnostic performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), whereas SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis was conducted to determine the contribution of individual features to the model. Results: The prediction model developed using the AdaBoost algorithm and validated through five-fold cross-validation achieved the highest AUC of 0.934. Its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 89.66%, 86.67%, 72.22%, 95.59%, and 87.5%, respectively. SHAP analysis revealed that the feature of high dependence low metabolic uptake emphasis50 had the greatest impact on model predictions. Furthermore, patients classified as disease-free exhibited markedly higher overall survival rates compared with those with persistent tumor status. Conclusions: In conclusion, the proposed prediction model efficiently identified patients with NPC at a high risk of persistent tumor status by using radiomic features extracted from pretreatment PET images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lung cancer is Canada's leading cause of cancer deaths, with most cases diagnosed at advanced stages where treatment hinges on target mutations. While upfront immunotherapy single pembrolizumab is standard for high PD-L1 lung cancers, nearly 50% of patients do not respond, risking disease progression and worse survival. Therefore, identifying these patients for alternative regimens is critical. To address this, we developed a predictive risk model that uses pre-treatment CT scan peritumoral radiomic features and clinical descriptors to accurately forecast pembrolizumab response. This model is a novel interpretable tool that leverages imaging features and equips clinicians to tailor first-line immunotherapy treatments, potentially improving the outcomes of patients with advanced lung cancer. Background/Objectives: Pembrolizumab monotherapy is approved in Canada for first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC with PD-L1 ≥ 50% and no EGFR/ALK aberrations. However, approximately 55% of these patients do not respond to pembrolizumab, underscoring the need for the early intervention of non-responders to optimize treatment strategies. Distinguishing the 55% sub-cohort prior to treatment is a real-world dilemma. Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed two patient cohorts treated with pembrolizumab monotherapy (training set: n = 97; test set: n = 17). The treatment response was assessed using baseline and follow-up CT scans via RECIST 1.1 criteria. Results: A logistic regression model, incorporating pre-treatment CT radiomic features of lung tumors and clinical variables, achieved high predictive accuracy (AUC: 0.85 in training; 0.81 in testing, 95% CI: 0.63–0.99). Notably, radiomic features from the peritumoral region were found to be independent predictors, complementing the standard CT evaluations and other clinical characteristics. Conclusions: This pragmatic model offers a valuable tool to guide first-line treatment decisions in NSCLC patients with high PD-L1 expression and has the potential to advance personalized oncology and improve timely disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigates the factors influencing the effectiveness of transarterial bleomycin–lipiodol embolization (TACE) in managing giant hepatic hemangiomas. Through a retrospective analysis of 31 adult patients, the research identifies key factors associated with successful volume reduction post-treatment, such as higher bleomycin doses and extended follow-up periods. Notably, the study found no significant correlation between lesion location or preoperative size and clinical success, highlighting that TACE remains effective across varied lesion sizes. These findings suggest potential for tailored dosing and timing strategies in clinical practice to optimize outcomes, while the study encourages further investigation into refining TACE protocols. Introduction: Giant hepatic hemangiomas are challenging to manage, requiring effective therapeutic approaches. Transarterial bleomycin–lipiodol embolization (TACE) has shown promise as a treatment option, yet predictive factors for its success are not well defined. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of TACE for giant hepatic hemangiomas and identify factors influencing treatment outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 31 adult patients who underwent TACE with bleomycin and lipiodol between December 2014 and October 2022 was conducted. Clinical parameters including age, sex, hemangioma location, lesion size, bleomycin dose, number of TACE sessions, and follow-up duration were evaluated. The primary outcome was hemangioma volume reduction, with statistical analyses identifying factors associated with significant lesion regression. Results: Higher bleomycin doses and longer intervals from procedure to follow-up were positively correlated with hemangioma volume reduction, while variables such as patient sex and lesion location showed no statistically significant impact on clinical success. The findings suggest that increased bleomycin dosage and extended follow-up periods may enhance treatment efficacy. Conclusions: The study identifies bleomycin dose and follow-up duration as predictive factors for TACE success in treating giant hepatic hemangiomas, underscoring their role in optimizing therapeutic strategies. These insights contribute to improved treatment personalization for patients with giant hepatic hemangiomas and highlight the need for further prospective studies to validate and expand upon these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood-based extracellular matrix (ECM) fragments have been identified as potential pharmacologic biomarkers in spondyloarthritis and diagnostic biomarkers in psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis vulgaris. This study aimed to explore whether ECM fragments can differentiate patients with psoriasis from healthy controls (HC) and determine their potential as biomarkers for response to treatment in psoriasis. The study population included 59 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, not receiving systemic anti-psoriatic treatment at inclusion, and 52 HC matched by age, sex, and BMI. An EDTA plasma sample was taken from all subjects at inclusion. Nine patients with psoriasis who initiated treatment with adalimumab after inclusion and responded successfully had an additional EDTA plasma sample taken after three to six months. Twelve ECM fragments were measured using validated ELISAs and Immunodiagnostic Systems automated chemiluminescent assays. C4M, indicating collagen IV degradation, PRO-C3, indicating tissue fibrosis, and PRO-C4, indicating epidermal basement membrane turnover showed significantly elevated levels in psoriasis patients compared with HC (p = 0.005, p = 0.016, and p = 0.018, respectively). Despite successful treatment, adalimumab did not alter C4M, PRO-C3, or PRO-C4 levels. In conclusion, compared with controls, C4M, PRO-C3, and PRO-C4 were elevated in psoriasispatients, but treatment did not modulate these fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiomics holds great potential in medical image analysis for various ophthalmic diseases. In recent times, there have been numerous endeavors in this area of research. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the strengths and limitations of radiomics in ophthalmology. Method: Conforming to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a systematic review with a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42023446317). We explored the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for original studies on this topic and made a comprehensive descriptive integration. Furthermore, the included studies underwent quality assessment by the radiomics quality score (RQS). Results: A total of 41 articles from an initial search of 227 studies were finally selected for further analysis. These articles included research across five disease categories and covered seven imaging modalities. The radiomics models demonstrated robust performance, with area under the curve (AUC) values mostly falling within 0.7–1.0. The moderate RQS (mean score: 11.17/36) indicated that most studies were retrospectively, single-center analyses without external validation. Conclusions: Radiomics holds promising utility in the field of ophthalmology, assisting diagnosis, early-stage screening, and prognostication of treatment response. Artificial intelligence algorithms significantly contribute to the construction of radiomics models in ophthalmology. This study highlights the strengths and challenges of radiomics in ophthalmology and suggests potential avenues for future improvement. Clinical relevance statement: Radiomics represents a valuable approach for generating innovative imaging markers, enhancing efficiency in clinical diagnosis and treatment, and aiding decision-making in clinical contexts of many ophthalmic diseases, thereby improving overall patient prognosis. Key Points: Radiomics has attracted extensive attention in the field of ophthalmology. Articles included five disease categories over seven imaging modalities, consistently yielding AUCs mostly above 0.7. Current research has few prospective and multi-center studies, underlining the necessity for future high-quality studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether structured exercise therapy improves chemotherapy delivery, tolerability, and tumor response is unclear. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a phase 2 trial investigating exercise therapy (n = 72) versus usual care (n = 72) in patients with primary breast cancer. Exercise therapy comprised individualized treadmill walking three times weekly for 20–50 minutes per session at 55%–100% of pretreatment exercise capacity. Chemotherapy delivery was assessed according to the relative dose intensity (RDI), tolerability was assessed according to patient‐reported outcomes and blood laboratory values, and response was assessed based on the pathologic complete response rate in patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: In the exercise therapy group, 51 patients (71%) reached 100% RDI (median, 100%; interquartile range, 100%–100%) compared with 41 patients (57%) in the usual care group (median, 100%; interquartile range, 95%–100%; p =.08). Tolerability was similar in both groups; the rates of grade 3 or higher neutropenia and anemia were 22% versus 39% and 7% versus 10% in the exercise and usual care groups, respectively. In patients who received anthracyclines (n = 104), 41 (77%) had 100% chemotherapy RDI in the exercise therapy group versus 29 (57%) in the usual care group (p =.026). In the neoadjuvant chemotherapy subgroup (n = 51 tumors), the postneoadjuvant therapy (yp) pathologic complete response (ypT0ypN0) rate was 27% (95% confidence interval, 12%–50%) in the exercise therapy group compared with 28% (95% confidence interval, 13%–47%) in the usual care group (p >.9). Conclusions: In patients with primary breast cancer, exercise therapy was associated with improved delivery of anthracycline‐based chemotherapy. Although exercise therapy was not significantly associated with tumor response, effects varied by tumor subtype (trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01943695). This was a preplanned, secondary analysis of a phase 2 trial investigating exercise therapy versus usual care during (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer. Exercise therapy was associated with improved delivery of anthracycline‐based chemotherapy, although tumor response varied by subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited surrogate biomarkers to identify the active inflammatory pathway in psoriasis to direct treatment with targeted biologic therapies. We investigated the association of interleukin (IL)‐36 epidermal expression, a diagnostic marker of psoriasis, with response to biologic therapy in patients with psoriasis. Methods: Retrospective immunohistochemical and chart review pilot study. Results: Patients with psoriasis with low (scores 0–2) vs. high (scores 3–4) IL‐36 expression did not have significantly different response rates to tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), IL‐17, and IL‐12/23 or IL‐23 inhibitors; and similarly, mean IL‐36 expression scores did not significantly differ among responders vs. non‐responders to each treatment mechanism. However, in patients with psoriasis treated with IL‐12/23 or IL‐23 inhibitors, there was a marked absolute difference in response rates in those with high vs. low IL‐36 (84% vs. 50%, p = 0.12) and in mean IL‐36 scores in responders vs. non‐responders (3.35 vs. 2.57, p = 0.19). Conclusions: Patients with psoriasis with high IL‐36 expression were more likely to respond to IL‐12/23 and IL‐23 inhibition than those with low IL‐36, though these findings were not statistically significant. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate and expand upon these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We retrospectively evaluated radiomics as a predictor of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and efficacy with anti‐PD‐1 mAb (IO) in R/M HNSCC. Methods: Radiomic feature extraction was performed on pre‐treatment CT scans segmented using 3D slicer v4.10.2 and key features were selected using LASSO regularization method to build classification models with XGBoost algorithm by incorporating cross‐validation techniques to calculate accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Outcome measures evaluated were disease control rate (DCR) by RECIST 1.1, PFS, and OS and hypoxia and CD8 T cells in the TME. Results: Radiomics features predicted DCR with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 76%, 73%, and 83%, for OS 77%, 86%, 70%, PFS 82%, 75%, 89%, and in the TME, for high hypoxia 80%, 88%, and 72% and high CD8 T cells 91%, 83%, and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: Radiomics accurately predicted the efficacy of IO and features of the TME in R/M HNSCC. Further study in a larger patient population is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive cancer with variable treatment responses. While clinical factors such as age and genetic mutations contribute to prognosis, recent studies suggest that CT attenuation scores may also predict treatment outcomes. This study aims to develop a nomogram combining clinical and CT-based factors to predict treatment response and guide personalized therapy for AML patients. Methods: This retrospective study included 74 newly diagnosed AML patients who underwent unenhanced abdominal CT scans within one week before receiving their first induction chemotherapy. Clinical biomarkers of tumor burden were also collected. Patients were classified into two groups based on treatment response: complete remission (CR; n = 24) and non-complete remission (NCR; n = 50). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of treatment response. Predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and model consistency was assessed through calibration and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: Significant differences in hemoglobin (Hb), platelets (Plt), and CT attenuation scores were observed between the CR and NCR groups (all p < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression identified Hb, Plt, and CT attenuation scores as independent predictors of treatment response. A nomogram incorporating these factors demonstrated excellent predictive performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.912 (95% CI: 0.842–0.983), accuracy of 0.865 (95% CI: 0.765–0.933), sensitivity of 0.880 (95% CI: 0.790–0.970), and specificity of 0.833 (95% CI: 0.684–0.982). The CR nomogram displayed significant clinical value and excellent goodness of fit. Conclusions: The nomogram, which incorporates Hb, Plt, and CT attenuation scores, provides valuable insights into predicting treatment response in AML patients. This model offers strong discriminatory ability and could enhance personalized treatment planning and prognosis prediction for AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]