Graduate Seminar Series: Cell and Tissue Stream – Azin Mirzajavadkhan

Graduate Seminar Series: Cell and Tissue Stream
Graduate Seminar Series for the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME). This day is for cell and tissue stream presenters.
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Presentation Title: Analyzing the impact of multimodal metastatic treatment on femoral bone quality
Abstract: Skeletal bone metastases may appear in up to 1/3 of all cancer patients and can cause pain, fractures, neurologic impairment, and reduce quality of life. Skeletal metastasis can present as: osteolytic (bone destroying), osteoblastic (bone generating), or as a mixture of the two. Treatment of metastases are aimed to decrease pain, provide skeletal stability, locally control tumor growth, and improve mobility. Treatment methods include local therapies, such as radiation therapy (RT) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), systemic drugs (i.e., bisphosphonates (BPs)), and chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., docetaxel). RT is the standard care for bone metastasis. It uses high doses of ionizing radiation to diminish osteoclasts activation while reducing tumor volume. RFA uses the heat produced by an alternating current which induces ionic modulation causing targeted ablation of tissues. BPs reduce bone reabsorption by limiting osteoclastic action which leads to an increase in bone mineral density (BMD) overtime. Chemotherapy treatments such as docetaxel can cause myelosuppression and decrease BMD and bone strength. However, this can be ameliorated by BP treatment. In our laboratory to date, we have primarily evaluated the impact of cancer treatments on bone quality focused on osteolytic disease, demonstrating differences in both the mineral and organic phases of bone with subsequent impact on bone mechanical properties. We have further shown that RFA leads to improved mineralization profiles with respect to mineral content and homogeneity in a novel preclinical rodent model of osteoblastic femoral metastases. With multiple treatment options for skeletal metastasis, it is crucial to understand the effects of new, existing, and combinational therapies on both tumour destruction and bone quality. This information can lead to improvement in diagnosis, fracture risk assessment, treatment planning and delivery.
Supervisor Name: Dr. Cari Whyne
Year of Study: 2
Program of Study: MASc
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89610372821?pwd=azd4SCtYVWtreVovaGNPV1c2NGY2Zz09
Meeting ID: 896 1037 2821
Password: 483329
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