Open Access

DFG Final Report: DFG reference number: MA 7865/3-1, SCHM 3423/3-1, STE 1493/6-1 Project number: 438839893

Adjuvant pembrolizumab prolonged recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in patients with resected stage IIB/IIC melanoma in KEYNOTE-716. Results of a post hoc 4-year analysis are reported, including progression/recurrence-free survival 2 (PRFS2).Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo intravenously every 3 weeks (part 1). [...]

Current evidence suggests higher physical activity (PA) levels are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mediating role of the circulating metabolome in this relationship remains unclear.Targeted metabolomics data from 6,055 participants in the EPIC cohort were used to identify metabolites associated with PA and derive a metabolomic signature of PA levels. [...]

Somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-PET is crucial for effective treatment stratification of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). In highly proliferating or poorly differentiated NENs, dual-tracer approaches using additional [18F]FDG PET can effectively identify SSTR-negative disease, usually requiring separate imaging sessions. [...]

Cardiovascular risk management is beneficial, but stringent glycemic control does not prevent the progression of distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN). Persistent hyperglycemia-induced alterations and cardiovascular factors may contribute to diabetes-associated nerve damage. [...]

Every year, around 300 million surgeries are conducted worldwide, with an estimated 4.2 million deaths occurring within 30 days after surgery. Adequate patient education is crucial, but often falls short due to the stress patients experience before surgery. [...]

Real-time molecular monitoring of TERT-rearranged high-risk neuroblastoma is an unmet clinical need. We tested liquid biopsy-based assays for patient-individualized TERT breakpoint sequences to monitor disease in pediatric patients. [...]

Childhood leukemia accounts for 30% of all pediatric cancer cases with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) being the most common subtype. Involvement of the gut microbiome in ALL development has recently garnered interest due to an increasing recognition of the key contribution the microbiome plays in maintaining the immune system's homeostatic balance. [...]

Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a cancer predisposition syndrome caused by pathogenic TP53 germline variants and associated with a high lifelong cancer risk. We analysed the German LFS registry that contains data on 304 individuals. [...]

Despite considerable improvements in oral health in recent decades, caries and periodontitis are still widespread, ranking among the most prevalent diseases worldwide and requiring future research. The German National Cohort (NAKO Gesundheitsstudie, NAKO) is a large-scaled, multidisciplinary, nationwide, multi-centre, population-based, prospective cohort study with oral examinations that aims to provide a resource to study risk factors for major diseases. [...]