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We observed a sustained reduction of systemic VEGF-A in patients receiving intravitreal brolucizumab, with the greatest effect measured 28 days posttreatment. Intravitreal aflibercept also induced a decrease of systemic VEGF-A, but in contrast to brolucizumab, the reduction was less sustained and values returned to baseline within 28 days.

AimsTo investigate the role of high-resolution anterior segment optical coherence tomography (HR-ASOCT) in the assessment of pterygia.MethodsSingle centre cross-sectional study. Patients with primary pterygium and/or pingueculae were included. Clinical assessment included HR-ASOCT, colour photography, keratometry followed by histology. Associations were tested between HR-ASOCT features of the pterygium and the degree of corneal scarring and elastotic degeneration, astigmatism and best-corrected visual acuity.Results29 eyes of 26 patients with pterygium and 6 patients with pinguecula were included. Apical anterior stromal scarring was found in 23 cases (79.3%) reaching a mean depth of 68.8±21.7 µm (minimum: 33 µm, maximum: 126 µm). Increased stromal scarring and subepithelial elastotic degenerative tissue was significantly associated with HR-ASOCT features of flat bridging of the corneoscleral transition zone (p<0.01) reduced thickness of the pterygium head (p=0.01), and a greater degree of corneal astigmatism (p=0.04).ConclusionsHR-ASOCT is a useful tool for the assessment and monitoring of pterygia in clinical practice. Features associated with increased stromal scarring and astigmatism are reduced thickness of the head of the pterygium and flat bridging of the corneoscleral transition zone.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a transmembrane protein expressed in prostate cancer as well as in the neo-vasculature of nonprostatic solid tumors. Here, we determined the expression pattern of PSMA in the vasculature of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Using a previously validated antibody, PSMA staining distribution and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) expression status was evaluated in a cohort of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (n=96) using immunohistochemistry and was correlated with clinicopathological features as well as outcome. Twenty-four (25%) cases showed no detectable PSMA staining, 48 (50%) demonstrated positive immunoreactivity for PSMA in less than 50% of microvessels and 24 (25%) cases showed strong endothelial PSMA expression in more than 50% of tumor-associated microvessels. High endothelial PSMA expression was associated with greatly reduced survival (18.2 vs77.3 months; P=0.0001) and maintained prognostic significance after adjusting for grade and stage in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio=2.19, P=0.007). Furthermore, we observed a strong association between endothelial PSMA and cancer cell-specific COX2 expression. In conclusion, we provide the first evidence for the prognostic significance of endothelial PSMA expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma and, suggest a potential interaction between arachidonic acid metabolites and endothelial PSMA expression in the tumor neo-vasculature.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a transmembrane protein expressed in prostate cancer as well as in the neo-vasculature of nonprostatic solid tumors. Here, we determined the expression pattern of PSMA in the vasculature of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Using a previously validated antibody, PSMA staining distribution and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) expression status was evaluated in a cohort of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (n=96) using immunohistochemistry and was correlated with clinicopathological features as well as outcome. Twenty-four (25%) cases showed no detectable PSMA staining, 48 (50%) demonstrated positive immunoreactivity for PSMA in less than 50% of microvessels and 24 (25%) cases showed strong endothelial PSMA expression in more than 50% of tumor-associated microvessels. High endothelial PSMA expression was associated with greatly reduced survival (18.2 vs 77.3 months; P=0.0001) and maintained prognostic significance after adjusting for grade and stage in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio=2.19, P=0.007). Furthermore, we observed a strong association between endothelial PSMA and cancer cell-specific COX2 expression. In conclusion, we provide the first evidence for the prognostic significance of endothelial PSMA expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma and, suggest a potential interaction between arachidonic acid metabolites and endothelial PSMA expression in the tumor neo-vasculature.