Management and Outcomes of Older Patients (Age ≥ 70 Years) with Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma and Role of Geriatric Assessment and Oncological Multidimensional Prognostic Index (Onco-MPI) in a Real-World Setting.

Incidences of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) steadily increase with age. Yet, despite the high prevalence in advanced age, older patients (pts) are underrepresented in sarcoma clinical trials and evidence-based guidelines for chemotherapy are lacking. International oncological societies suggest using geriatric tools to evaluate older patients with cancer to optimise treatment indication.

Cardiotoxicity from Capecitabine Chemotherapy: Prospective Study of Incidence at Rest and During Physical Exercise.

Background: Physical activity may increase the risk of cardiotoxicity (myocardial ischemia, major arrhythmias) of 5-Fluorouracil, but this risk has never been investigated for its prodrug capecitabine.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and ninety-two consecutive patients undergoing capecitabine chemotherapy from December 1, 2010 through July 31, 2016 were prospectively evaluated. The baseline evaluation included electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (2DE); a follow-up evaluation, including ECG and exercise stress testing (2DE in case of ECG abnormalities), was done after ≥10 days of treatment.

Trabectedin and Radiation Therapy for Cardiac Metastasis From Leiomyosarcoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is one of the most frequent subtypes of soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs). Metastatic spread to the heart in cancer patients carries a poor prognosis and there is no known effective treatment. Cardiac metastases of STSs are very rare.

Neoplastic Pericardial Effusion: A Monocentric Retrospective Study.

Neoplastic pericardial effusion (NPE) is a life-threatening condition that can worsen clinical outcome in cancer patients. The optimal management of NPE has yet to be defined because randomized studies are lacking. We report a retrospective monoinstitutional experience describing characteristics, management and prognostic factors in NPE patients.

Opacification patterns of cardiac masses using low-mechanical index contrast echocardiography: comparison with histopathological findings.

Background: Two-dimensional echocardiography is the main noninvasive imaging tool to identify cardiac masses but is unable to provide detailed tissue characterization.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the ability of low mechanical index (MI) contrast echocardiography to detect presence and amount of tissue vascularization as validated by histopathology study of cardiac masses.

Methods And Results: Twelve consecutive patients (5 females and 7 males, age range 51-82 years) underwent conventional and contrast two-dimensional echocardiography with low MI.

Role of dose exposure and inflammatory status in a single center, real-world analysis of sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Unlabelled: AIM, PATIENTS & METHODS: To evaluate the real-world setting use of sunitinib, we reviewed data of our patients from January 2007 to December 2014.

Results: In 114 patients, sunitinib was used as first-line TKI. Out of 110 evaluable patients, 5 complete responses, 37 partial responses, 42 stabilizations were reported.

Unusual echocardiographic appearance of a cardiac metastasis from lung carcinoma.

During hospitalization in the Oncology Department, a woman with nonsmall cell lung cancer and no previous cardiac event complained of episodes of chest pain and palpitations. Preliminary instrumental examinations diagnosed atrial fibrillation in pericarditis. A subsequent complete transthoracic echocardiogram showed the presence of a large mass involving the left ventricular apex, without echo-contrast enhancement.

Bi-weekly liposomal doxorubicin for advanced breast cancer in elderly women (≥ 70 years).

Background: We conducted a multicenter prospective trial to assess tolerability and activity of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in women ≥ 70 years with locally-advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: All patients underwent Multidimensional Geriatric Assessment (MGA). Frail patients were excluded.

Hypertension as a biomarker in patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with antiangiogenic drugs: a single-center experience and a critical review of the literature.

Treatment with angiogenesis inhibitors is becoming a cornerstone of modern anticancer therapy. Hypertension (HTN) is a common adverse event during antiangiogenic treatment and might represent a cancer biomarker in patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with angiogenesis inhibitors. In a retrospective study, we analyzed 53 patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with antiangiogenic drugs.

An unusual mediastinal outline.

Thymoma is the most common primary neoplasm of the anterior mediastinum. We describe the case of a 40-year-old man with asymptomatic thymoma involving the right atrium, and the diagnostic pathway.

Low molecular weight heparin (parnaparin) for cardioembolic events prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing elective electrical cardioversion: a prospective cohort study.

Systemic thromboembolism is a severe complication in patients undergoing electrical cardioversion (ECV) for atrial fibrillation (AF). Vitamin K antagonists greatly reduce the risk of thromboembolic events, but the administration scheme before ECV is troublesome as difficulties in reaching and maintaining the target therapeutic range for 3 weeks often delay the restoration and likelihood of maintaining sinus rhythm. Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) do not need dose adjustment, and may be preferable in this clinical setting.

Large infero-posterior wall pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle: an unusual presentation.

Post-myocardial infarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm resulting from free wall rupture is a rare finding and its recognition during life is uncommon. The diagnosis is difficult since symptoms, clinical evaluation and electrocardiographic and X-ray findings are usually non-specific. We herein present a case of a pseudoaneurysm manifesting after a silent myocardial infarction and diagnosed at echocardiography in a patient who, at the time of hospitalization, had a history and clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of pulmonary embolism.