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Background: The 2 approved somatostatin analogs (SSAs) in the first-line treatment of advanced, well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are octreotide long-acting release (Sandostatin LAR) and somatuline depot (Lanreotide). The study’s objective was to compare progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients (pts) with GEP-NETs treated with somatuline or octreotide LAR. Pts and Methods: Pts with advanced well-differentiated GEP-NET who received either SSA at Emory University between 1995 and 2019 were included after institutional review board approval. The primary end point was PFS, defined as time to disease progression (according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1, or clinical progression) or death. The secondary end point was OS. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated, and log-rank tests were conducted to compare the survival outcomes. Results: A total of 105 pts were identified. The mean age was 62.1 years (SD ± 11.8). The male-to-female ratio was 51:54. The majority (N = 69, 65.7%) were white. Most pts had grade 2 (G2) disease (N = 44, 41.9%). Primary location was small bowel in 58 (55.2%), pancreas in 27 (25.7%), and other in 20 (19.0%). Functional tumors were defined in 32 pts distributed equally between the 2 groups. Distribution of treatment was similar in the 2 groups, with 54 receiving octreotide LAR and 51 receiving somatuline depot. The median PFS for the octreotide LAR and somatuline depot groups was 12 months (95% CI, 6–18 months) and 10.8 months (95% CI, 6–15.6 months), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.2665). For pts with G1 disease, the median PFS for the octreotide LAR and somatuline depot was 8.4 versus 32.4 months, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.159). For G2 disease, the difference in median PFS between octreotide LAR and somutaline depot groups was statistically significant (12 vs. 7.2 months, respectively; p = 0.0372). The mean follow-up time for octreotide LAR was 21.6 months versus 11.3 months for somatuline depot. Conclusions: Overall, there was no difference in PFS between octreotide LAR and somatuline depot for pts with well-differentiated, metastatic GEP-NETs. A prospective study is worth designing selecting for G.

Evidence shows that White and non-Hispanic individuals are overrepresented in clinical trials. The development of new vaccines and drugs, however, necessitates that clinical research trials include representative participants, particularly in light of evidence showing that underrepresented minorities may have a different response to certain medications and vaccines. Racial and ethnic disparities among clinical trials are multilayered and complex, and this requires action. The results of this study indicate that significant racial and ethnic disparities consistently exist among the most recent early SARS-CoV-2 vaccine clinical trials as compared to the pandemic H1N1 vaccine clinical trials of 2009. New strategies, policies, training programs, and reforms are required to address these disparities among clinical trials.

Objective We sought to perform a systematic, comprehensive, and nationwide cross-sectional analysis of surgical capacity in Lebanon. Background Providing surgical care in refugee areas is increasingly recognized as a global health priority. The surgical capacity of Lebanon where at least 1 in 6 inhabitants is currently a refugee remains unknown. Methods The Surgical Capacity in Areas with Refugees cross-sectional study included 3 steps: (1) geographically mapping all hospitals providing surgical care in Lebanon, (2) systematically assessing each hospital's surgical capacity, and (3) identifying surgical care gaps/disparities. First, a list of hospitals in Lebanon and their locations was generated combining data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health and Syndicate of Hospitals. Specialty, rehabilitation, and maternity facilities were excluded. Second, the validated 5 domain Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PIPES) tool was administered in each hospital through a face-to-face or phone interview. Hospitals' PIPES indices were computed; data were aggregated and analyzed for geographic and private/public disparities. Results A total of 129 hospitals were geographically mapped; 20% were public. The PIPES tool was administered in all hospitals (100%). The mean PIPES index was 10.98 (Personnel = 14.91, Infrastructure = 15.36, Procedures = 37.47, Equipment = 21.63, Supplies = 24.78). The number of hospital beds, operating rooms, surgeons, and anesthesiologists per 100,000 people were 217, 8, 16, and 9, respectively. Deficiencies in infrastructure were significant, whereby 62%, 36%, 16%, and 5% of hospitals lack incinerators, pretested blood, intensive care units, and computed tomography, respectively. Continuous external electricity was lacking in 16 hospitals (12%). Compared to private hospitals, public hospitals had a lower PIPES index (10.48 vs 11.1, P = 0.022), including lower Personnel and Infrastructure scores (12.31 vs 15.57, P = 0.03; 14.04 vs 15.7, P = 0.003, respectively). Geographically, the administrative governorates with highest refugee concentrations had the lowest PIPES indices. Conclusions Evaluating surgical capacity in Lebanon reveals significant deficiencies, most pronounced in public hospitals in which refugee care is provided and in areas with the highest refugee concentration.

Background: Paragangliomas (PGLs) and Pheochromocytomas (PCCs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). PGLs arise from chromaffin cells in the ganglia of the autonomic nervous system, while PCCs arise from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla. The genomic landscapes of PGLs and PCCs have not been well studied. Thus, the aim of this study is to report differences of mutational occurrences and confirm the feasibility of next generation sequencing (NGS) testing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with PGL and PCC. Patients and Methods: Molecular alterations in 46 plasma samples were evaluated using a commercially available ctDNA assay (Guardant360® or Guardant360® CDx) across multiple institutions from 2016-2021. The tests detect single nucleotide variants and indels in 54-83 genes with copy number amplifications and fusions in selected genes. Results: Of the 24 PGL patients, there was a median age of 55 (range:28-78) years and 14 (58%) patients were male. Of the 22 PCC patients, there was a median age of 56 (range:28-86) years and 12 (54.5%) patients were male. Genetic alterations were identified in 16 (67%) PGL and 17 (77%) PCC patients. Of the 16 PGL samples with alterations, TP53 associated genes were most commonly altered (44%), followed by ATM (25%), FGFR2 (19%), APC (13%), BRAF (13%), BRCA1 (13%), CCND2 (13%), FGFR3 (13%), IDH2 (13%), KRAS (13%), PDGFRA (13%), RB1 (13%), TERT(13%), ALK (6%), ARID1A (6%), BRCA2 (6%), CCND1 (6%), CDK6 (6%), CDK12 (6%), EGFR (6%), FGFR1 (6%), KIT (6%), MET (6%), NF1 (6%), NRAS (6%), PIK3CA (6%), PTEN (6%), and ROS1 (6%). Of the 17 PCC samples with alterations, TP53 was most commonly altered (41%), followed by ATM (35%), NF1 (24%), FGFR1 (18%), APC (13%), EGFR (12%), MET (12%), MYC (12%), NOTCH1 (12%), PDGFRA (12%), TSC1 (12%), AR (6%), ARID1A(13%), BRAF (6%), BRCA1 (6%), BRCA2 (6%), CCND1 (6%), CDK6 (6%), CHEK2 (6%), ERBB2 (6%), EZH2 (6%), FGFR2 (6%), IDH2 (6%), KIT (6%), KRAS (6%), NRAS (6%), NTRK1 (6%), NTRK2 (6%), and VHL (6%). 21% of PGL and 41% of PCC patients reported alterations associated with therapies approved in other indications including genes in the MAPK pathway and the homologous recombination repair pathway. Conclusions: Liquid biopsy is a non-invasive method that can provide personalized treatment options for patients. In this study, we found that evaluation of ctDNA was feasible among individuals with advanced PGL and PCC. We report a high rate of homologous recombinant deficiencies that are in need of evaluation in future Percentage refers to frequency of patients with an alteration detected. Citation Format: Lana Khalil, Jill Tsai, Leylah Drusbosky, Olatunji Alese, Maria Diab, Mehmet Akce, Christina Wu, Olumide Babjide Gbolahan, Bassel El-Rayes, Walid Shaib. Genomic landscape of circulating tumor DNA alterations in patients with paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5790.

Background: Preclinical results indicate that metformin can modulate immune cell populations in the tumor microenvironment of solid tumors by diminishing exhaustion of CD8+ tumor infiltrating cells and improving T cell responses. Studies also suggest that metformin could complement PD-1 blockade and potentiate its antitumor activity. Previously we reported the results of a phase II trial with metformin and nivolumab and here we report the findings of correlative analysis of the prospectively collected research samples of 18 patients. Methods: We conducted a phase II trial with nivolumab and metformin in treatment-refractory microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Nivolumab 480 mg IV every 4 weeks and metformin 1000 mg orally twice daily was administered in 28-day cycles following a 14-day metformin only lead-in phase. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Pre-treatment and on-treatment research biopsies and correlative peripheral blood specimens were collected. Paired biopsies obtained at baseline and following treatment with metformin only (n=9) or metformin and nivolumab (n=9) and were stained with a panel of 13 markers using ChipCytometry technology by Canopy Biosciences. Sample was assessed prior to establishing the multiplex assay. 30 out of 36 samples were imaged and analyzed up to 30 Fields of View. Single cell recognition and quantitative biomarker analysis were performed to compare immune cell numbers and population distribution in pre- versus post-treatment samples. Results: As previously reported, no patients had objective response based on RECIST version 1.1 and the study was stopped after the first stage for futility. Median OS and PFS was 5.1 months [95% CI (2-11.7)] and 2.3 months [95% CI (1.7-2.4)], respectively. Multiplex analysis of tissues from patients receiving lead in with metformin alone revealed fewer effector CD4 T cells and effector and effector memory CD8 T cells after treatment vs. baseline biopsy. Biopsy tissue from patients treated with metformin and nivolumab had lower pAMPK and decreased PDL-1 expression vs. baseline. The combination also increased percentages of leukocytes, effector CD4 T cells, effector and effector memory CD8 T cells as well as levels of PDL1-Tim3+ cells. Conclusion: In the setting of MSS mCRC, metformin as a single agent did not enhance effector CD4 and CD8 T cell percentages in clinical samples in our patient cohort. Metformin in combination with nivolumab was associated with increased percentages of effector CD4 and CD8 T cells in biopsy specimens, although these improvements did not translate into enhanced clinical endpoints. Analysis of peripheral blood samples are currently underway to corroborate the findings in the tissue samples. Citation Format: Batoul Farran, Jeffrey M. Switchenko, Lana Khalil, Walid L. Shaib, Brian Olson, Amanda Ruggieri, Christina Wu, Olatunji B. Alese, Maria Diab, Gregory B. Lesinski, Bassel El-Rayes, Mehmet Akce. Correlative analysis of metformin and nivolumab combination in treatment-refractory microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3482.

Background: Sarcopenia is one of the early pathological features of cancer cachexia, yet the effect of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes in patients with advanced HCC is unclear. Our objective was to determine the effect of Sarcopenia on response to systemic therapy with advanced HCC. Methods: Patients with unresectable and advanced liver cancer were retrospectively evaluated between 2010 to 2019. Skeletal muscle area (SMA) was computed with a previously validated computed tomography (CT) body composition AI algorithm. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was derived from the skeletal muscle area (SMA) (cm2) divided by patient height (m2) calculated from images at the level of L3 on pretreatment CT. Sarcopenia cutoffs for females was less than 39 cm2/m2 SMI or less than 50 cm2/m2 SMI for males. Patients’ demographics, systemic treatment response, toxicity, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between first-line therapy groups. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression were used for survival analysis comparisons. Results: A total of 146 patients with advanced HCC were assessed from Mayo Clinic Arizona and Emory University. Seventy-six patients received immunotherapy as first-line treatment and seventy patients received TKI as first-line therapy. Sarcopenia at baseline was assessed in a total of 91 patients at first-line systemic treatment: n=48 with immunotherapy (IO) and n=43 with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Sarcopenia was more prevalent in male patients (p=0.009), and in patients with low BMI (p=0.02). When comparing those with sarcopenia at baseline, higher response rate was observed in patients treated with IO without sarcopenia (47% versus 15%, p=0.019), this was not observed in TKI group. Interestingly, median PFS and OS was not significantly changed in patients with or without sarcopenia treated with IO or TKI on first-line therapy. Conclusions: Sarcopenia was associated with reduced response rate (RR) in patients treated with IO, but not in TKI groups. Both didn’t translate into deleterious effect in PFS and or OS. Further research with sufficient adjustments for confounding factors is warranted to better elucidate the prognostic value of sarcopenia in these patients. Citation Format: Gehan Botrus, Pedro Luiz Serrano Uson Junior, Heidi Kosiorek, Mehmet Akce, Isabela Chang, Zhubene Mesbah, Eric Yancey, Daniel Blezek, Jason Klug, Lana Khalil, Puneet Raman, Mohamad Sonbol, Mitesh Borad, Daniel Ahn, Tanios Bekaii-Saab. Prognostic impact of Sarcopenia on clinical outcomes in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with systemic therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6274.

4118 Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an emerging etiology for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and contributes to the increasing incidence of HCC worldwide. Patients with NASH often have risk factors of metabolic syndrome including hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). NASH induced HCC has been shown to be associated with less response to immune check point inhibitors (ICIs) in HCC. Anti-diabetic agent metformin has been shown to be associated with improved outcomes in patients treated with ICIs in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer. However, the impact of metformin on the efficacy of ICIs is not well defined in HCC. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of metformin on clinical outcomes in patients with advanced HCC treated with ICIs. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with advanced HCC treated with ICIs in first and later-line settings between 2015 and 2021. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) as assessed according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1. Patients were stratified based on their usage of metformin. OS and PFS were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test. Results: A total of 111 patients met inclusion criteria, 18 patients in the metformin group and 93 patients in the non-metformin group. Most common cause of HCC was viral hepatitis (52%), followed by NASH (29%), alcohol (8%) and other (11%). Baseline characteristics between the two groups were similar except all patients in the metformin group had a diagnosis of T2DM. ORR was 5.6%. (1 partial response) in the metformin group vs 22.6% (5 complete responses, 16 partial responses) in the non-metformin group. Median OS was 45.9 months in the non-metformin group vs 10.8 months in metformin group (HR 1.99, 95% CI 0.95-4.21, p = 0.064). Median PFS of 6.6 months vs 2.5 months (HR 1.75, 95% CI 0.93-3.29, p = 0.077). Moreover, metformin usage was associated with shorter median OS of 10.8 months (HR 1.96, 95% CI 0.75-5.09, p = 0.16) vs 20.9 months among patients with T2DM. OS was significantly worse in patients with poor ECOG performance status 2-3, MELD score 10-23, higher grade tumor histology, AFP > = 400, and use of IO in later lines of therapy. Conclusions: In this retrospective study metformin use was associated with worse clinical outcomes in advanced HCC patients treated with ICIs.

Background: Clinico-pathological high-risk features are frequently utilized in adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) decisions in stage II colorectal cancer and their utility in stage II appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) is not established. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of high-risk features in clinical outcomes and whether high risk features are predictive of AC benefit in stage II AA. Methods: Patients with pathological stage II AA between 2010 and 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) using ICD-O-3 morphology and topography codes: 8140, 8480 and C18.1. High risk stage II AA was defined as having at least one of the following clinicopathological features: T4 tumor

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive and chemotherapy resistant cancer with unique biologic characteristics which makes this disease highly different than other gastrointestinal cancers. The mainstay of curative treatment in HCC is surgical resection, ablation, and transplantation. However, rates of recurrence are high and many patients are not initially candidates for these curative approaches. This paper discusses predictors of recurrence of HCC in patients who have undergone surgical resection and addresses adjuvant therapies aimed at decreasing recurrence risk and improving overall survival (OS) outcomes, including traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and immunotherapy. This article also discusses neoadjuvant strategies aimed at improving recurrence rate and OS as well as downstaging advanced HCC to enable surgical disease, including locoregional therapies, systemic chemotherapy, TKIs, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Finally, this article addresses potential future directions for both adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies that may change the treatment paradigm of HCC in the near future.

e16259 Background: Colloid carcinoma (CC) of the pancreas is a rare histopathological subtype of ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with poorly defined prognostic factors and therapeutic outcomes. The aim of this study is to characterize the clinicopathological features and evaluate the overall survival (OS) and prognostic factors of patients with pancreatic CC using National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: Patients diagnosed with CC of the pancreas and PDAC between 2004 and 2016 were identified from the NCDB using ICD-O-3 morphology (8480/3 for CC and 8140/3 for PDAC) and topography codes (C25). Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted and Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to perform OS analysis. Results: A total of 56,846 patients met the inclusion criteria for the final analysis. Of the total population included, 2,430 patients (4.3%) had CC and 54,416 patients (95.7%) had PDAC. For both, CC and PDAC, there was a male preponderance (52.0%, 52.5%), Caucasians (85.1%, 84%), occurrence above the age of 70 (39.2%, 38.2%), and the most common primary site was the head of the pancreas (50.5%, 53%). For CC, the percentage of pathologic stage III colloid pancreas cancer appeared the lowest (3.5%, 85 patients), compared to stage I (16.7%), stage II (37.8%), and stage IV (42.1%). While in PDAC, the percentage of pathologic stage I (5.94%) and stage III (4.44%) patients was lower than stage II (37.21%) and IV (52.41%). CC and PDAC more frequently presented with < 5cm tumor, at academic or research cancer centers, and diagnosed between 2009 and 2013 compared to 2004–2008 ( p< 0.001). For both CC and PDAC, the majority underwent surgical resection (58%, 53%), systemic chemotherapy (57.8%, 63%) and did not receive radiotherapy (78.8%, 77.6%). A positive surgical margin on pathologic evaluation was associated with worse outcomes for CC and PDAC in both univariate and multivariate analysis (HR 1.61; 1.56–1.66; p< 0.001 and HR 1.43; 1.38–1.48, p< 0.001). CC had a better 1-year overall survival (OS) in all stages compared to PDAC (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, mucinous carcinoma histology, female sex, diagnosis between 2004 and 2009, well/moderately differentiated histology, chemotherapy, age at diagnosis less than 60, radiation therapy after surgery, and local surgical procedure of primary site and pancreatectomy (p < 0.001) were associated with better OS compared to PDAC. Colloid histology was associated with better 1-year overall survival (OS) in all stages compared to PDAC (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Colloid carcinoma of pancreas is associated with a better overall survival as compared to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This is the largest study to address the clinical features and outcomes of colloid carcinoma of pancreas.

e16085 Background: Treatment of localized esophageal, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), and stomach cancer is neoadjuvant therapy with either chemoradiation or chemotherapy followed by surgery. Treatment for T1b-2 stage disease is not well evaluated and this stage is underrepresented in prospective studies. The aim of this study is to evaluate survival outcomes among the three treatment modalities (neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NACRT), and upfront surgery (US)) in this population using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: Patients (pts) with clinical stage T1b-2N0 and any pathological stage (excluding metastatic) adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, GEJ, and stomach treated with neoadjuvant therapy or upfront surgery, with or without adjuvant chemotherapy (AC), were identified between 2004 and 2015 in the NCDB. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted, and Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify the association between the three treatment modalities and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 2260 pts were analyzed. The median follow-up was 66.6 months. The median age was 67 years. Most pts were White (86%) and male (77%). 1018 (45%) had moderately-differentiated grade, while 946 (42%) had poorly-differentiated/undifferentiated grade. The most common site of disease was the lower third of esophagus (34.1%). 161 pts (7%) received NACT, of whom 45 pts received AC; 537 pts (24%) received NACRT, of whom 40 pts received AC. 1562 pts (69%) underwent US, of whom 146 pts received AC. US with AC was associated with the best survival, followed by NACT with AC; median OS was 90.1 and 86.8 months for surgery with AC and NACT with AC, respectively. NACRT was associated with the worst survival (39.5 and 40.2 months with and without AC, respectively). The 5-year OS rates were 59.8%, 58.5%, 52.1%, 44.9%, 37.3%, and 37.8%, for US, NACT, and NACRT, with and without AC, respectively. The rate of tumor upstaging was highest in the NACT group, followed by the NACRT group, and lowest in the US group. Postsurgically, 62 (39%) and 48 (30%) pts in the NACT group and 198 (37%) and 161 (30%) pts in the NACRT group had upstaging in their T and N stages, respectively, compared to 214 (13%) and 326 (21%) pts in the US group. For the 1107 pts who also had pathological T1b-2N0 stage disease following US, no difference in survival was observed with or without AC. Conclusions: Upfront surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and perioperative chemotherapy are associated with the best survival compared to preoperative radiotherapy. This is the largest study to address the best approach for the treatment of T1b-2 stage disease.

Background The survival impact of multi-agent (MAC) compared with single-agent (SAC) adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in elderly patients with stage III colon cancer (CC) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to compare survival outcomes of MAC and SAC in this population utilizing the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Patients and Methods Patients aged ≥70 years with pathological stage III CC diagnosed in 2004-2015 were identified in the NCDB. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted, and Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify associations between MAC vs. SAC and overall survival (OS). Results Among 41 707 elderly patients (≥70 years old) with stage III CC, about half (n = 20 257; 48.5%) received AC; the majority (n = 12 923, 63.8%) received MAC. The median age was 79 (range 70-90). The majority were female (n = 11 201, 55.3%), Caucasians (88%) and had moderately differentiated tumor grade (n = 12 619, 62.3%), tumor size >4 cm (11 785, 58.2%), and negative surgical margins (18 496, 91.3%). Low-risk stage III CC constituted 50.6% (n = 10 264) of the study population. High-risk stage III CC was associated with worse OS compared with low-risk disease (HR 0.35, 0.34-0.36, P < .001). Multi-agent chemotherapy was associated with a better 5-year OS compared with SAC (P < .001). High-risk stage III patients who received MAC vs. SAC had an OS of 4.2 vs. 3.4 years, respectively (P < .001). Low-risk stage III patients who received MAC vs. SAC had a median OS of 8.5 vs. 7 years (P < .001). In univariate and multivariable analyses, male sex, positive surgical margin, insurance and facility types, age, year of diagnosis, tumor size, and Charlson-Deyo score of >2 were associated with worse OS (P < .05). Conclusions Any adjuvant chemotherapy has a trend of survival benefits. Multi-agent chemotherapy seems to have an enhanced benefit in the 70-75 age group. Multi-agent chemotherapy seemed to have similar efficacy as SAC in those aged >76 years.

Background Hospital disaster and emergency preparedness are critical for country-specific readiness level to withstand disasters. Lebanon has consistently experienced man-made and natural disasters. This study sought to perform a comprehensive assessment of the country's level of hospital disaster and emergency preparedness. Method A 3-step methodology was designed. We first developed a Hospital Disaster and Emergency Preparedness (HDEP) tool following a comprehensive literature review. Second, we conducted a modified Delphi process with local experts to tailor the HDEP tool to the Lebanese context. Third, we administered the tool to directors of hospitals with at least a 100 bed capacity across all governates in Lebanon. Results Twenty four hospitals were included. All (100%) had a disaster and emergency response plan, but only 83% of hospital plans included a recovery phase, and 62% included a formal surge capacity plan. Most hospitals were equipped with basic medical/pharmaceutical supplies, onsite laboratories, blood banks and imaging facilities. Disaster-only medical carts and disaster-only supplies were available in only 33% and 42% of the hospitals, respectively. The majority of hospitals (71%) had a medical ICU, but only 25% had a surgery-specific ICU. A backup communication system was reported in only 66.7% of hospitals. Only 79% of hospitals routinely perform disaster drills. Post-disaster mental health services were present in 15% of surveyed hospitals. Conclusion A formal HDEP plan was common to Lebanese hospitals however gaps in disaster preparedness were identified. Future initiatives should focus on building upon existing resources and capacities to strengthen readiness and improve coordination.

Objective Concurrent renal artery angioplasty and stenting (RAAS) during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has been practiced in an attempt to maintain renal perfusion. The aim of this study was to identify the current practice of RAAS during EVAR and its effect on perioperative renal outcome. Methods Patients with infrarenal AAA were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP, 2011-2014) database. Baseline characteristics of patients with concurrent RAAS during EVAR were compared with those of patients who underwent EVAR only. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses controlling for patients' demographics, comorbidities, and operative factors were used to evaluate the predictors of 30-day acute renal failure (ARF). Sensitivity analysis was done to evaluate the role of RAAS in patients with prior kidney disease. Results Overall, 6183 patients underwent EVAR for infrarenal AAA during the study period. Of them, 281 patients had RAAS during EVAR (4.5%). The median age of the patients was 74 years; 81.7% of the cohort was male, but a higher proportion of female patients received EVAR + RAAS compared with patients who underwent EVAR only (26.3% vs 17.9%; P 2 (45.2% vs 37.2%; P = .011). RAAS was associated with significantly higher odds for development of ARF (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.06-8.84; P P = .002), emergency status (aOR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.21-7.27; P = .017), and ruptured AAA as the indication for EVAR (aOR, 4.74; 95% CI, 1.80-12.50; P = .002). Patients with prior kidney disease who had EVAR + RAAS demonstrated a 12-fold higher odds for 30-day ARF (aOR, 12.37; 95% CI, 4.66-32.89; P Conclusions Concurrent RAAS was found to be a significant determinant of adverse renal outcomes after EVAR for infrarenal AAA. This effect was present even after controlling for patients' risk factors that might contribute to postoperative ARF.

This study aimed at identifying the role of Jordanian universities in facing cultural globalization as perceived by students. Moreover, exploring if there are differences in the study sample concerning the role of Jordanian universities in facing cultural globalization due to the gender variable. In order to accomplish the objective of the study, a (31) items questionnaire was developed and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Then it was distributed to the study sample consisted of (200) undergraduate and postgraduate male and female students. The study demonstrated that there are no statistically significant differences, in the sample estimates, concerning the the role of Jordanian universities in facing cultural globalization due to the gender variable. The study recommended the need to formulate a strategy to deal with the developments, especially the modern technology, in addition to develop university curricula to entrench civilizational features that have an impact on the Arabic personality to face changes. Moreover, the urge for creating and refining media to be more experienced to contribute in building an Arab human who is conscious and able to be effective in confronting globalization dangers and protecting the nation’ identity and values. It also recommends entrenching the concept of cultural globalization and uncovers strengths and weaknesses areas by examining its advantages and disadvantages with an open-minded view that contributes to the enrichment of scientific heritage and be open to global cultures including their traditions and deep-rooted social values.

e22536Background: Brain metastasis, although a common and severe complication in patients with systemic cancer, is considered a rare manifestation in sarcoma (3% of all brain metastases). Due to ne...