Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare head and neck cancer arising from the mucosal lining of the nasopharynx, for which systemic therapeutic options remain scarce, reflecting the limited characterization of its genomic profile. This study utilized a large patient-level genomic repository to characterize genetic alterations, identify potential therapeutic targets, and improve disease modeling in NPC. Methods: A retrospective analysis of NPC samples was conducted using the AACR Project GENIE database. Targeted sequencing data were analyzed for recurrent somatic mutations, tumor mutational burden, and chromosomal copy number variations, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Frequent mutations were identified in KMT2D (20%), TP53 (16%), CYLD (9.6%), NFKBIA (6.4%), and PIK3CA (5.6%), implicating the p53, NF-κB, and PI3K pathways in NPC development. Notably, significantly distinct mutational profiles were observed based on both sex and race, with female patients exhibiting higher frequencies of PIK3C2G, ETV6, and CDKN1B mutations and non-Asian patients showing enrichment in KDM5A, CCND2, and TP53 mutations. Conclusions: This study presents a detailed genomic profile of NPC, identifying key mutations within established cancer-associated pathways. The identification of frequently mutated pathways (p53, NF-κB, and PI3K) suggests potential targets for novel therapies. Furthermore, distinct mutational landscapes in female and Asian NPC patients offer possibilities for precision therapeutic interventions.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) impacted the healthcare system immensely throughout 2020-2022. Treatment practices varied in Texas, as guidelines were in flux. As a result, a variety of therapeutics were used. Many verified medications with scientific basis were trialed, while others were implemented despite a lack of scientific consensus. This study aimed to identify how practice patterns to treat and manage COVID-19 changed over time in a cohort of patients in the University of Texas Medical Branch hospital system. Methods: Ninety participants with a COVID-19 diagnosis were included in the analysis for this study. Data was collected by a retrospective chart review, and included medications administered before and during current admission. Medications were categorized as: antiviral, antibiotic, steroid, supplement, antibody, hydroxychloroquine, and others. Results: Differences in therapeutic use were identified based on hospitalization status (outpatient or inpatient) and month admitted. The largest difference in the antiviral remdesivir (78%), requiring intravenous administration for up to ten days. In the outpatient setting, antibiotics, primarily azithromycin, were quite common. Additionally, month-to-month variation in steroid use and antibiotic use was observed. Conclusion: This study shows that adapting medical guidelines and strong media coverage played a role in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients. At times, some ineffective medications were prescribed such as hydroxychloroquine. Medical leaders and news coverage should collaborate closely in future public health emergencies to prevent the prescription of ultimately ineffective and potentially hazardous treatments.

The coronavirus variant (causing the COVID-19 disease) that led to a pandemic sent global shockwaves, resulting in long-term effects on physical, mental, and social well-being and impacting both individuals and communities. With the pandemic’s notable impact on mental health, one such potential treatment discussed in recent literature is psilocybin. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring prodrug compound found in select mushrooms shown to reduce clinical symptoms of certain mental health disorders. In this study, we review the status and usage of psilocybin in clinical practice preceding and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The search criteria for the study included psilocybin or psychedelics or psychedelic-therapy psychiatry and long-haul COVID. The search spanned English articles from January 2020 to April 2024, utilizing the PsychInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, and PubMed databases. Two reviewers independently screened each record to decide if a study met the inclusion criteria and to account for bias. Each article researched different pathologies, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and COVID-19. The manuscripts collectively emphasize that there is evidence that psilocybin has a role in the treatment of said pathologies, with relatively safe outcomes if administered under proper medical supervision. Psilocybin use was followed up for a relatively long period after some trials, but further research is warranted to draw a more definitive conclusion regarding the therapeutic uses of psilocybin. Our review reflects that barriers to using psilocybin therapeutically for long-haul COVID-19 exist, which significantly impacts the scope of our research. While evidence suggests its efficacy in mental health conditions such as depression and mood disorders, more robust clinical trials are needed. Current literature supports the pharmacological basis that psilocybin may be effective in treating COVID-19 sequelae. Psilocybin’s role in inhibiting SARS-Cov-2 protease shows promise, but ultimately, in vitro validation will be necessary before wider approval of the drug. Lastly, large clinical trials comparing psilocybin to standard care and assessing symptom relief in long-term COVID patients may help validate the findings seen in much of the current literature.