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Mak, Raymond

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Mak

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Raymond

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Mak, Raymond

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 18
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    Image-guided radiotherapy platform using single nodule conditional lung cancer mouse models
    (2014) Herter-Sprie, Grit S.; Korideck, Houari; Christensen, Camilla L.; Herter, Jan M.; Rhee, Kevin; Berbeco, Ross; Bennett, David G.; Akbay, Esra A.; Kozono, David; Mak, Raymond; Makrigiorgos, Gerassimos; Kimmelman, Alec C.; Wong, Kwok-Kin
    Close resemblance of murine and human trials is essential to achieve the best predictive value of animal-based translational cancer research. Kras-driven genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer faithfully predict the response of human lung cancers to systemic chemotherapy. Due to development of multifocal disease, however, these models have not been usable in studies of outcomes following focal radiotherapy (RT). We report the development of a preclinical platform to deliver state-of-the-art image-guided RT in these models. Presence of a single tumour as usually diagnosed in patients is modelled by confined injection of adenoviral Cre recombinase. Furthermore, three-dimensional conformal planning and state-of-the-art image-guided dose delivery are performed as in humans. We evaluate treatment efficacies of two different radiation regimens and find that Kras-driven tumours can temporarily be stabilized upon RT, whereas additional loss of either Lkb1 or p53 renders these lesions less responsive to RT.
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    Low Incidence of Chest Wall Pain with a Risk-Adapted Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Approach Using Three or Five Fractions Based on Chest Wall Dosimetry
    (Public Library of Science, 2014) Coroller, Thibaud; Mak, Raymond; Lewis, John H.; Baldini, Elizabeth; Chen, Aileen; Colson, Yolonda; Hacker, Fred; Hermann, Gretchen; Kozono, David; Mannarino, Edward; Molodowitch, Christina; Wee, Jon; Sher, David J.; Killoran, Joseph
    Purpose To examine the frequency and potential of dose-volume predictors for chest wall (CW) toxicity (pain and/or rib fracture) for patients receiving lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using treatment planning methods to minimize CW dose and a risk-adapted fractionation scheme. Methods: We reviewed data from 72 treatment plans, from 69 lung SBRT patients with at least one year of follow-up or CW toxicity, who were treated at our center between 2010 and 2013. Treatment plans were optimized to reduce CW dose and patients received a risk-adapted fractionation of 18 Gy×3 fractions (54 Gy total) if the CW V30 was less than 30 mL or 10–12 Gy×5 fractions (50–60 Gy total) otherwise. The association between CW toxicity and patient characteristics, treatment parameters and dose metrics, including biologically equivalent dose, were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: With a median follow-up of 20 months, 6 (8.3%) patients developed CW pain including three (4.2%) grade 1, two (2.8%) grade 2 and one (1.4%) grade 3. Five (6.9%) patients developed rib fractures, one of which was symptomatic. No significant associations between CW toxicity and patient and dosimetric variables were identified on univariate nor multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Optimization of treatment plans to reduce CW dose and a risk-adapted fractionation strategy of three or five fractions based on the CW V30 resulted in a low incidence of CW toxicity. Under these conditions, none of the patient characteristics or dose metrics we examined appeared to be predictive of CW pain.
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    Robust Radiomics Feature Quantification Using Semiautomatic Volumetric Segmentation
    (Public Library of Science, 2014) Parmar, Chintan; Rios Velazquez, Emmanuel; Leijenaar, Ralph; Jermoumi, Mohammed; Carvalho, Sara; Mak, Raymond; Mitra, Sushmita; Shankar, B. Uma; Kikinis, Ron; Haibe-Kains, Benjamin; Lambin, Philippe; Aerts, Hugo
    Due to advances in the acquisition and analysis of medical imaging, it is currently possible to quantify the tumor phenotype. The emerging field of Radiomics addresses this issue by converting medical images into minable data by extracting a large number of quantitative imaging features. One of the main challenges of Radiomics is tumor segmentation. Where manual delineation is time consuming and prone to inter-observer variability, it has been shown that semi-automated approaches are fast and reduce inter-observer variability. In this study, a semiautomatic region growing volumetric segmentation algorithm, implemented in the free and publicly available 3D-Slicer platform, was investigated in terms of its robustness for quantitative imaging feature extraction. Fifty-six 3D-radiomic features, quantifying phenotypic differences based on tumor intensity, shape and texture, were extracted from the computed tomography images of twenty lung cancer patients. These radiomic features were derived from the 3D-tumor volumes defined by three independent observers twice using 3D-Slicer, and compared to manual slice-by-slice delineations of five independent physicians in terms of intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and feature range. Radiomic features extracted from 3D-Slicer segmentations had significantly higher reproducibility (ICC = 0.85±0.15, p = 0.0009) compared to the features extracted from the manual segmentations (ICC = 0.77±0.17). Furthermore, we found that features extracted from 3D-Slicer segmentations were more robust, as the range was significantly smaller across observers (p = 3.819e-07), and overlapping with the feature ranges extracted from manual contouring (boundary lower: p = 0.007, higher: p = 5.863e-06). Our results show that 3D-Slicer segmented tumor volumes provide a better alternative to the manual delineation for feature quantification, as they yield more reproducible imaging descriptors. Therefore, 3D-Slicer can be employed for quantitative image feature extraction and image data mining research in large patient cohorts.
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    Volumetric CT-based segmentation of NSCLC using 3D-Slicer
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2013) Velazquez, Emmanuel Rios; Parmar, Chintan; Jermoumi, Mohammed; Mak, Raymond; van Baardwijk, Angela; Fennessy, Fiona; Lewis, John H.; De Ruysscher, Dirk; Kikinis, Ron; Lambin, Philippe; Aerts, Hugo
    Accurate volumetric assessment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is critical for adequately informing treatments. In this study we assessed the clinical relevance of a semiautomatic computed tomography (CT)-based segmentation method using the competitive region-growing based algorithm, implemented in the free and public available 3D-Slicer software platform. We compared the 3D-Slicer segmented volumes by three independent observers, who segmented the primary tumour of 20 NSCLC patients twice, to manual slice-by-slice delineations of five physicians. Furthermore, we compared all tumour contours to the macroscopic diameter of the tumour in pathology, considered as the “gold standard”. The 3D-Slicer segmented volumes demonstrated high agreement (overlap fractions > 0.90), lower volume variability (p = 0.0003) and smaller uncertainty areas (p = 0.0002), compared to manual slice-by-slice delineations. Furthermore, 3D-Slicer segmentations showed a strong correlation to pathology (r = 0.89, 95%CI, 0.81–0.94). Our results show that semiautomatic 3D-Slicer segmentations can be used for accurate contouring and are more stable than manual delineations. Therefore, 3D-Slicer can be employed as a starting point for treatment decisions or for high-throughput data mining research, such as Radiomics, where manual delineating often represent a time-consuming bottleneck.
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    Outcomes by Tumor Histology and KRAS Mutation Status After Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Early-Stage Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
    (Elsevier BV, 2015) Mak, Raymond; Hermann, Gretchen; Lewis, John H.; Aerts, Hugo J.W.L.; Baldini, Elizabeth; Chen, Aileen; Colson, Yolonda; Hacker, Fred; Kozono, David; Wee, Jon; Chen, Yu-Hui; Catalano, Paul; Wong, Kwok-Kin; Sher, David J.
    BACKGROUND: We analyzed outcomes after lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for early-stage non-small cell lung-carcinoma (NSCLC) by histology and KRAS genotype. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 75 patients with 79 peripheral tumors treated with SBRT (18 Gy × 3 or 10 to 12 Gy × 5) at our institution from 2009 to 2012. Genotyping for KRAS mutations was performed in 10 patients. Outcomes were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method/Cox regression, or cumulative incidence method/Fine-Gray analysis. RESULTS: The median patient age was 74 (range, 46 to 93) years, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 0 to 1 in 63%. Tumor histology included adenocarcinoma (44%), squamous cell carcinoma (25%), and NSCLC (18%). Most tumors were T1a (54%). Seven patients had KRAS-mutant tumors (9%). With a median follow-up of 18.8 months among survivors, the 1-year estimate of overall survival was 88%, cancer-specific survival (CSS) 92%, primary tumor control 94%, and freedom from recurrence (FFR) 67%. In patients with KRAS-mutant tumors, there was a significantly lower tumor control (67% vs. 96%; P = .04), FFR (48% vs. 69%; P = .03), and CSS (75% vs. 93%; P = .05). On multivariable analysis, histology was not associated with outcomes, but KRAS mutation (hazard ratio, 10.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-45.6; P = .0022) was associated with decreased CSS after adjusting for age. CONCLUSION: In this SBRT series, histology was not associated with outcomes, but KRAS mutation was associated with lower FFR on univariable analysis and decreased CSS on multivariable analysis. Because of the small sample size, these hypothesis-generating results need to be studied in larger data sets.
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    Advanced nodal stage predicts venous thromboembolism in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer
    (Elsevier BV, 2016) Li, Richard Jay; Hermann, Gretchen; Baldini, Elizabeth; Chen, Aileen; Jackman, David M; Kozono, David; Nguyen, Paul; Nohria, Anju; Powell, Graham; Mak, Raymond
    Objectives: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are known to be at high risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), but previous studies have not specifically analyzed locally advanced disease. We performed a retrospective VTE risk analysis in a cohort of locally advanced NSCLC treated with definitive intent including radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: The cohort consisted of 629 patients with stage II-III NSCLC treated at a single institution from January 2003 to December 2012. All patients received treatment with curative intent, including radiation therapy. Fine and Gray’s competing-risks regression model, accounting for death and distant metastasis as competing risks, was used to identify significant predictors of VTE risk, and cumulative incidence estimates were generated using the competing-risks model. Results and Conclusion: At a median follow-up of 31 months, 127 patients developed a VTE, with 80% of events occurring in the first year after treatment initiation. 1-year and 3-year overall cumulative incidence estimates were 13.5% and 15.4%, respectively. On univariate analysis, stage IIIB and N3 nodal disease were associated with increased VTE risk. In the final multivariable model, N3 nodal disease was associated with increased VTE risk (Hazard ratio 1.64; 95% CI 1.06-2.54; p=0.027). In conclusion, patients with locally advanced NSCLC are at high risk for VTE, especially in the first year after treatment initiation, with a 1-year cumulative incidence of 13.5%. N3 nodal staging was associated with significantly higher VTE risk compared to N0-N2 staging.
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    Densely Interconnected Transcriptional Circuits Control Cell States in Human Hematopoiesis
    (Elsevier BV, 2011) Novershtern, Noa; Subramanian, Aravind; Lawton, Lee N.; Mak, Raymond; Haining, William; McConkey, Marie E.; Habib, Naomi; Yosef, Nir; Chang, Cindy; Shay, Tal; Frampton, Garrett M.; Drake, Adam C.B.; Leskov, Ilya; Nilsson, Bjorn; Preffer, Frederic; Dombkowski, David; Evans, John W.; Liefeld, Ted; Smutko, John S.; Chen, Jianzhu; Friedman, Nir; Young, Richard A.; Golub, Todd; Regev, Aviv; Ebert, Benjamin
    While many individual transcription factors are known to regulate hematopoietic differentiation, major aspects of the global architecture of hematopoiesis remain unknown. Here, we profiled gene expression in 38 distinct purified populations of human hematopoietic cells and used probabilistic models of gene expression and analysis of cis-elements in gene promoters to decipher the general organization of their regulatory circuitry. We identified modules of highly co-expressed genes, some of which are restricted to a single lineage, but most are expressed at variable levels across multiple lineages. We found densely interconnected cis-regulatory circuits and a large number of transcription factors that are differentially expressed across hematopoietic states. These findings suggest a more complex regulatory system for hematopoiesis than previously assumed.
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    MicroRNA-Mediated Control of Cell Fate in Megakaryocyte-Erythrocyte Progenitors
    (Elsevier BV, 2008) Lu, Jun; Guo, Shangqin; Ebert, Benjamin; Zhang, Hao; Peng, Xiao; Bosco, Jocelyn; Pretz, Jennifer; Schlanger, Rita; Wang, Judy Y.; Mak, Raymond; Dombkowski, David M.; Preffer, Frederic; Scadden, David; Golub, Todd
    Lineage specification is a critical issue in developmental and regenerative biology. We hypothesized that microRNAs (miRNAs) are important participants in that process and used the poorly-understood regulation of megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitors (MEPs) in hematopoiesis as a model system. We report here that miR-150 modulates lineage fate in MEPs. Using a novel methodology capable of profiling miRNA expression in limiting numbers of primary cells, we identify miR-150 as preferentially expressed in the megakaryocytic lineage. Through gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we demonstrate that miR-150 drives MEP differentiation toward megakaryocytes at the expense of erythroid cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we identify the transcription factor MYB as a critical target of miR-150 in this regulation. These experiments show that miR-150 regulates MEP fate, and thus establish a role for miRNAs in lineage specification of mammalian multi-potent cells.
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    A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is associated with risk of radiation pneumonitis in lung cancer patients treated with thoracic radiation therapy
    (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) Mak, Raymond; Alexander, Brian; Asomaning, Kofi; Suk Heist, Rebecca; Liu, Chen-yu; Su, Li; Zhai, Rihong; Ancukiewicz, Marek; Napolitano, Brian; Niemierko, Andrzej; Willers, Henning; Choi, Noah; Christiani, David
    Background: To study the association between functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes from oxidative stress pathways, and risk of radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients treated with thoracic radiation therapy (RT) for locally advanced lung cancer (LC). Methods: We reviewed 136 patients treated with RT for LC between 2001 and 2007, and had prior genotyping of functional SNPs in oxidative stress genes including superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2; rs4880) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR; rs1801131, rs1801133). RP events were retrospectively scored using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to identify clinical variables and genotypes associated with risk of grade ≥2 and grade ≥3 RP on univariate and multivariate analysis. P-values were corrected for multiple hypothesis testing. Results: With a median follow-up of 21.4 months, the incidence of ≥grade 2 RP was 29% and ≥grade 3 RP was 14%. On multivariate analysis, after adjusting for clinical factors such as concurrent chemotherapy, and consolidation docetaxel, and lung dosimetric parameters such as V20 and mean lung dose, MTHFR genotype (rs1801131; AA versus AC/CC) was significantly associated with risk of ≥grade 2 RP (Hazard ratio [HR]: 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18-0.76; p=0.006, corrected p=0.018) and ≥grade 3 RP (HR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.06-0.70; p=0.01; corrected p=0.03). SOD2 genotype was not associated with RP. Conclusions: Our study showed an association between MTHFR genotype and risk of clinically significant RP. Further study of MTHFR-related pathways may provide insight into the mechanisms behind RP.
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    Lymph node volume predicts survival but not nodal clearance in Stage IIIA-IIIB NSCLC
    (Public Library of Science, 2017) Agrawal, Vishesh; Coroller, Thibaud; Hou, Ying; Lee, Stephanie W.; Romano, John L.; Baldini, Elizabeth; Chen, Aileen; Kozono, David; Swanson, Scott; Wee, Jon; Aerts, Hugo; Mak, Raymond
    Background: Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients have poorer survival and local control with mediastinal node (N2) tumor involvement at resection. Earlier assessment of nodal burden could inform clinical decision-making prior to surgery. This study evaluated the association between clinical outcomes and lymph node volume before and after neoadjuvant therapy. Materials and methods CT imaging of patients with operable LA-NSCLC treated with chemoradiation and surgical resection was assessed. Clinically involved lymph node stations were identified by FDG-PET or mediastinoscopy. Locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by the Kaplan Meier method, concordance index and Cox regression. Results: 73 patients with Stage IIIA-IIIB NSCLC treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation and surgical resection were identified. The median RT dose was 54 Gy and all patients received concurrent chemotherapy. Involved lymph node volume was significantly associated with LRR and OS but not DM on univariate analysis. Additionally, lymph node volume greater than 10.6 cm3 after the completion of preoperative chemoradiation was associated with increased LRR (p<0.001) and decreased OS (p = 0.04). There was no association between nodal volumes and nodal clearance. Conclusion: For patients with LA-NSCLC, large volume nodal disease post-chemoradiation is associated with increased risk of locoregional recurrence and decreased survival. Nodal volume can thus be used to further stratify patients within the heterogeneous Stage IIIA-IIIB population and potentially guide clinical decision-making.