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Colombia is experiencing an epidemiologic transition, with an increasing incidence of cancerous neoplasms prevalent in high-income countries, while infection-associated tumors remain highly prevalent. According to international standards, Colombia has a deficit of radiotherapy machines (a shortage of about 47 machines) and radiation oncology specialists (a shortage of about 19 to 149 specialists based on number of centers and incident cases, respectively) to meet the national demand, which may induce an inappropriate dynamic in radiation oncology services. Estimates based on cancer incidence trends and the rate of new specialists in radiation oncology expected to graduate per year suggest that the current deficit will remain unchanged or may even increase during the next decades. The situation is critical because of the existence of a single training program in the country for a population of 45 million inhabitants and the low availability of educational programs offered in the Latin American region to cover the national demand. A comprehensive analysis of radiotherapy services should include data on medical physicists, radiotherapists, and the oncology nursing workforce; however, we found no reliable information available. A better balance between the educational programs offered and the demand for radiotherapy is highly valuable.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most diagnosed cancer worldwide and one of the main causes of cancer deaths. BC is a heterogeneous disease composed of different BC intrinsic subtypes such as triple-negative BC (TNBC), which is one of the most aggressive subtypes and which lacks a targeted therapy. Recent comprehensive analyses across cell types and cancer types have outlined a vast network of protein–protein associations between transcription factors (TFs). Not surprisingly, protein–protein networks central to oncogenesis and disease progression are highly altered during TNBC pathogenesis and are responsible for the activation of oncogenic programs, such as uncontrollable proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness. From the therapeutic viewpoint, inhibiting the interactions between TFs represents a very significant challenge, as the contact surfaces of TFs are relatively large and featureless. However, promising tools have emerged to offer a solution to the targeting problem. At the clinical level, some TF possess diagnostic and prognostic value in TNBC. In this review, we outline the recent advances in TFs relevant to TNBC growth and progression. Moreover, we highlight different targeting approaches to inhibit these TFs. Furthermore, the validity of such TFs as clinical biomarkers has been explored. Finally, we discuss how research is likely to evolve in the field. This work is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spanish Health Ministry) with a Miguel Servet fellowship (CP20/0039) and the project PI21/00438 which are co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) “Investing in your future” and the European Union, the Emergent Research Group Recognition Award from the University and Research Grants Management Agency of Catalonia (Spain) under Grant 2017SRG1620. The research was supported by CERCA Programme of Generalitat de Catalunya and the IRBLleida-Fundació Dr. Pifarré.

Background The epidemiology of ambulatory acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) caused by influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in young children is not well described in Ecuador. The seasonality of these infections vary across and within tropical countries experiencing different climates. Understanding trends that differ from one region to the next is needed to optimize implementation of effective preventive measures. Methods This 5-year prospective study compares the epidemiology of ARTI caused by influenza and RSV in children from Machala (6 m) and Quito (2,832 m), Ecuador. Children < 5 years presenting with ARTI for ≤7 days are eligible. Demographic and clinical data are gathered and a nasopharyngeal sample is collected for diagnostic testing using the Biofire FilmArray® respiratory panel platform that allows for the detection of 17 viruses. Results Between July 2018 and March 2019, we enrolled 446 subjects; 322 from Machala and 124 from Quito. Eighteen percent of the samples from Quito and 9% from Machala were positive for influenza viruses, while RSV accounted for 4% of the samples from Quito and 5% of those from Machala. The influenza B season at both elevations lasted 14 weeks, but started 5 weeks earlier in Machala (weeks 29–42 vs. weeks 34–47). Influenza B seasonal activity preceded influenza A at both sites. In Machala, the influenza A season began 6 weeks after the influenza B season (weeks 48–4), but overlapped with the influenza B season in Quito (weeks 45–2). In Machala, RSV was detected during the first week of surveillance (2018, week 29) but did not re-emerge to cause sustained activity until 2019, week 6. The RSV season began in Quito in 2018 during week 47, with sustained activity through the time of this report, 2019, week 12. Conclusion The 2018–2019 seasonal epidemiology of ARTI caused by influenza viruses and RSV differed between Ecuadorean children living close to sea level and those living at high elevation. Patterns of seasonal activity observed throughout the 5-year study period will facilitate decision-making regarding the optimal timing and duration for implementing existing and emerging prevention measures. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.