Welcome to Dana-Farber's Research News
April 15, 2023
This twice-monthly newsletter highlights the research endeavors at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, noting recently published papers available from PubMed where Dana-Farber faculty are listed as first or senior authors. If you are a Dana-Farber faculty member and you think your paper is missing from Research News, please let us know at: Michael_buller@dfci.harvard.edu.
Journal of Clinical Oncology
ASCO Ethical Guidance for the US Oncology Community Where Reproductive Health Care Is Limited by Law
Jimenez RB, Rosenberg AR
The decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned federal protections for abortion rights, making way for states to enact abortion bans with or without exceptions for the health or life of the pregnant patient. Patient care across many areas of medicine including oncology continues to be affected. Although the change in the legal landscape is widely felt, the core ethical considerations for physicians do not change because of restrictions on the practice of medicine. ASCO offers this guidance to assist US oncologists and institutions who must balance limitations with established ethical duties. This paper articulates principles for cancer care and pregnancy, offers a framework for ethical reflection and action for oncologists who care for pregnant patients, and makes recommendations for individual and institutional action to support evidence-based, patient-centered care in the United States where abortion is illegal or access is limited.
Nature Nanotechnology
Author Correction: Multi-Micron Crisscross Structures Grown from DNA-Origami Slats
Wintersinger CM, Minev D, Ershova A, Sasaki HM, Gowri G, Berengut JF, Corea-Dilbert FE, Yin P, Shih WM
In the version of this article initially published, Supplementary Data 5-8 were missing. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.
Science
A Common Cancer at an Uncommon Age
Giannakis M, Ng K
Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), also called young-onset colorectal cancer, is defined as CRC diagnosed in individuals aged less than 50 years. EOCRC is increasing globally and anticipated to become the leading cause of cancer death in individuals aged 20 to 49 in the US by 2030. Since the 1990s, the age-adjusted incidence of EOCRC has risen at an alarming rate of 2 to 4% per year in many countries, with even sharper increases in individuals younger than 30 years. This is despite a reduction in overall CRC incidence that is likely attributable to improved screening and prevention in older individuals. The exact reasons and pathophysiology behind the rising incidence of EOCRC remain unknown. Currently, only limited studies exist and they have focused on single aspects of EOCRC etiology. A multidisciplinary path forward is needed to expand the understanding of this increasingly prevalent problem.
Science
Structures of BIRC6-Client Complexes Provide a Mechanism of SMAC-Mediated Release of Caspases
Hunkeler M, Jin CY, Fischer ES
Tight regulation of apoptosis is essential for metazoan development and prevents diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Caspase activation is central to apoptosis, and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are the principal actors that restrain caspase activity and are therefore attractive therapeutic targets. IAPs, in turn, are regulated by mitochondria-derived proapoptotic factors such as SMAC and HTRA2. Through a series of cryo-electron microscopy structures of full-length human baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 6 (BIRC6) bound to SMAC, caspases, and HTRA2, we provide a molecular understanding for BIRC6-mediated caspase inhibition and its release by SMAC. The architecture of BIRC6, together with near-irreversible binding of SMAC, elucidates how the IAP inhibitor SMAC can effectively control a processive ubiquitin ligase to respond to apoptotic stimuli.
Cancer
Weiss A, Waks AG, Laws A, McGrath M, Tarantino P, Portnow L, Winer E, Partridge AH, Tolaney SM, Mittendorf EA, King TA
Cell Reports
IFN? is a Central Node of Cancer Immune Equilibrium
Walsh MJ, Stump CT, Kureshi R, Lenehan P, Ali LR, Dougan M, Knipe DM, Dougan SK
Clinical Cancer Research
Accessible Data Collections for Improved Decision Making in Neuro-Oncology Clinical Trials
Rahman R, Ventz S, Redd R, Wen PY, Trippa L
Clinical Cancer Research
Rotow J, Awad M, Clifford S, Santucci A
Haematologica
Tagraxofusp for Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm
Luskin MR, Lane AA
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
Bitterman DS, Goldner E, Finan S, Harris D, Mak RH, Miller T, Savova GK
Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics
Han Z, Sudhyadhom A, Hsu SH, Hu YH, Mak RH, Huynh MA, van Dams RR, Tanguturi S, Venkatachalam V, Mancias JD, Mamon HJ, Martin NE, Lam MB, Leeman JE
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Tkacik E, Li K, Gonzalez-Del Pino G, Ha BH, Vinals J, Park E, Beyett TS, Eck MJ
Journal of Infectious Diseases
Machine Learning Approaches to Understand Cognitive Phenotypes in People with HIV
Mukerji SS, Gabuzda D
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Mack JW, Fisher L, Khalaj A, Altschuler A, Lakin JR, Lefebvre A, Wall CB
Journal of Palliative Medicine
Leiter RE, Gelfand SL, Jain N, Lally K, Landzberg MJ, Lever N, O'Donnell A, Sciacca KR, Snaman JM, Tulsky JA, Lakin JR
Journal of Virology
Nguyen HT, Wang Q, Anang S, Sodroski JG
JCO Oncology Practice
Stockman LS, Gundersen DA, Gikandi A, Akindele RN, Svoboda L, Pohl S, Lathan CS
Nature Reviews Immunology
Clonal Haematopoiesis and Dysregulation of the Immune System
Belizaire R, Wong WJ, Robinette ML, Ebert BL
NPJ Breast Cancer
Grinshpun A, Tolaney SM, Burstein HJ, Jeselsohn R, Mayer EL
NPJ Breast Cancer
Trapani D, Tolaney SM, Hsu L, Lin NU, Sammons S
Palliative and Supportive Care
Evaluation of an Intensive Workshop on Research Methods in Supportive Oncology
Greer JA, Temel JS, Pirl WF
Psycho-Oncology
Recklitis CJ, Michaud A, Blackmon JE, Chang G
Science Advances
Bala P, Rennhack JP, Aitymbayev D, Morris C, Moyer SM, Duronio GN, Doan P, Li Z, Hornick JL, Yurgelun MB, Hahn WC, Sethi NS
Statistics in Medicine
Uno H, Horiguchi M
Translational Behavioral Medicine
Parmet T, Yusufov M, Braun IM, Pirl WF, Sannes TS