Suboptimal outcomes of sorafenib as a second-line treatment after atezolizumab-bevacizumab for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Most patients receiving atezolizumab-bevacizumab (AB) for hepatocellular carcinoma will eventually experience disease progression. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are undergoing to identify second-line treatments. Where RCTs are unavailable or patients are non-eligible, sorafenib is often prescribed based on approval and reimbursement policies.

Multicenter phase I/II trial of gemcitabine, oxaliplatin and nab-paclitaxel as first-line treatment for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer.

Introduction: The prognosis of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) is still poor, and new strategies improving patients' outcome are needed. In our trial we investigated safety and activity of nab-paclitaxel in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin as first-line systemic treatment for patients with advanced BTC.

Methods: In this investigator-initiated, multicenter, dose-escalation, single-arm phase I/II trial, patients were accrued into cohorts of 3 patients and dose escalation was performed following the standard 3 + 3 rule.

Interleukin-6: A New Marker of Advanced-Sarcopenic HCC Cirrhotic Patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major cause of liver-related death worldwide. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) promotes the growth of the HCC microenvironment. The correlation between Child-Pugh (CP) and HCC stage and between HCC stage and sarcopenia is still not clear.

Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy in Patients Undergoing First-Line Gemcitabine Plus -paclitaxel for Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Background: The clinical consequences of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and its treatment in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are poorly investigated. This retrospective study aims at investigating the pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) use and its impact on survival and maldigestion-related symptoms in advanced PDAC patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on advanced PDAC patients, treated with first-line gemcitabine plus -paclitaxel at two academic institutions (March 2015-October 2018).

Risk Adapted Ablative Radiotherapy After Intensive Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.

Background And Objective: To assess the efficacy of a Risk-Adapted Ablative Radiotherapy (RAdAR) approach, after intensive induction chemotherapy, in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).

Material And Methods: Patients with LAPC who received RAdAR following induction chemotherapy from January 2017 to December 2019 were included in this observational study. The RAdAR approach consisted of an anatomy- and simultaneous integrated boost (SIB)-based dose prescription strategy.

Clinical, Pathological and Prognostic Features of Rare BRAF Mutations in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC): A Bi-Institutional Retrospective Analysis (REBUS Study).

Recently, retrospective analysis began to shed light on metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs) harboring rare non-V600 mutations, documenting a distinct phenotype and a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to confirm features and prognosis of rare non-V600 mCRCs compared to V600E and wild-type mCRCs treated at two Italian Institutions. Overall, 537 cases were retrospectively evaluated: 221 wild-type, 261 mutated, 46 V600E and 9 non-V600.

Organisational challenges, volumes of oncological activity and patients' perception during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic.

Background: On February 23rd, the 1st case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was diagnosed at the University Hospital Trust of Verona, Italy. On March 13th, the Oncology Section was converted into a 22-inpatient bed coronavirus disease (COVID) Unit, and we reshaped our organisation to face the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, while maintaining oncological activities.

Methods: We tracked down (i) volumes of oncological activities (January 1st - March 31st, 2020 versus the same period of 2019), (ii) patients' and caregivers' perception and (iii) SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in oncology health professionals and SARS-CoV-2 infection-related hospital admissions of "active"' oncological patients.

Prognostic Impact of Preoperative Nutritional Risk in Patients Who Undergo Surgery for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Nutritional derangements are common hallmarks of pancreatic cancer (PC). Their early detection and management are usually overlooked in routine practice. This study aimed to explore preoperative nutritional status and its prognostic value in patients undergoing surgery for PC.

Outcomes of Primary Chemotherapy for Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Importance: Chemotherapy is the recommended induction strategy in borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, the associated results on an intention-to-treat basis are poorly understood.

Objective: To investigate pragmatically the treatment compliance, conversion to surgery, and survival outcomes of patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma undergoing primary chemotherapy.

Association Between Changes in Body Composition and Neoadjuvant Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer.

Importance: Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity have been associated with poor outcomes in unresectable pancreatic cancer (PC). Neoadjuvant treatment (NT) is used increasingly to improve resectability; however, its effects on fat and muscle body composition have not been characterized.

Objectives: To evaluate whether NT affects muscle mass and adipose tissue in patients with borderline resectable PC (BRPC) and locally advanced PC (LAPC) and determine whether there were potential differences between patients who ultimately underwent resection and those who did not.

Prognostic impact of early nutritional support in patients affected by locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma undergoing chemotherapy.

Background/objectives: The aim of this analysis was to determine the risk of malnutrition and the prognostic value of nutritional intervention in patients affected by pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) undergoing chemotherapy.

Subjects/methods: Clinical-pathological and nutritional data were correlated with overall survival (OS) using a Cox model. Nutritional status was determined by Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), body mass index, weight loss in the past 6 months, presence of nutrition-related symptoms, and current energy intake.

INvolvement of breast CAncer patients during oncological consultations: a multicentre randomised controlled trial--the INCA study protocol.

Introduction: Studies on patient involvement show that physicians make few attempts to involve their patients who ask few questions if not facilitated. On the other hand, the patients who participate in the decision-making process show greater treatment adherence and have better health outcomes. Different methods to encourage the active participation during oncological consultation have been described; however, similar studies in Italy are lacking.

Triple approach strategy for patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a relatively new technique, applied to metastatic solid tumours which, in recent studies, has been shown to be feasible and safe on locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC). RFA can be combined with radio-chemotherapy (RCT) and intra-arterial plus systemic chemotherapy (IASC). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact on the prognosis of a multimodal approach to LAPC and define the best timing of RFA.

Aggressive approach to acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas: a single-institution experience and a literature review.

Purpose: Acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) are a rare pancreatic tumor group with no standardized treatment. The aim of the study is to analyze the clinical and pathologic characteristics of our series and to review the current literature.

Methods: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 1990 to 2007 included patients who underwent pancreatic resection for histologically proven ACCs.

Leptin/HER2 crosstalk in breast cancer: in vitro study and preliminary in vivo analysis.

Background: Obesity in postmenopausal women is associated with increased breast cancer risk, development of more aggressive tumors and resistance to certain anti-breast cancer treatments. Some of these effects might be mediated by obesity hormone leptin, acting independently or modulating other signaling pathways. Here we focused on the link between leptin and HER2.

Insulin-dependent leptin expression in breast cancer cells.

Pathologic conditions associated with hyperinsulinemia, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes, seem to increase the risk of breast cancer. Here, we studied molecular mechanisms by which insulin activates the expression of leptin, an obesity hormone that has been shown to promote breast cancer progression in an autocrine or paracrine way. Using MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, we found that (a) insulin stimulated leptin mRNA and protein expression, which was associated with increased activation of the leptin gene promoter; (b) insulin increased nuclear accumulation of transcription factors hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha and Sp1 and their loading on the leptin promoter; (c) small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of either HIF-1alpha or Sp1 significantly down-regulated insulin-induced leptin mRNA and protein expression; further inhibition of leptin expression was observed under the combined HIF-1alpha and Sp1 siRNA treatment; (d) inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI-3K) pathways significantly, albeit partially, decreased insulin-dependent leptin mRNA and protein expression, which coincided with reduced association of HIF-1alpha and/or Sp1 with specific leptin promoter regions; and (e) inhibition of ERK1/2 reduced recruitment of both HIF-1alpha and Sp1 to the leptin promoter, whereas down-regulation of PI-3K influenced only HIF-1alpha binding.

Bone Marrow Micrometastases in Breast Cancer Patients: A Long-Term Follow-up Study.

In 125 early breast cancer patients who underwent multiple bone marrow aspirates, there was no significant difference in terms of disease-free and overall survival after a median follow-up of 163 months between the patients with or without micrometastasis at the time of primary surgery. However, when the time-dependent evolution of the bone marrow aspirates was taken into account, some evidence for a longer disease-free and overall survival was found for the patients with negative bone marrow.

Pathological, biological and clinical characteristics, and surgical management, of elderly women with breast cancer.

For this retrospective study, we divided 3814 patients with invasive operable breast cancer into five groups based on their age at diagnosis. Univariate analysis showed that the elderly women had larger tumours with more axillary node involvement and lymphovascular invasion, more estrogen- and progesterone-positive tumours, lower grades and proliferative indices, and were less likely to be c-erbB2 positive. They were more likely to have been diagnosed in a symptomatic state and to have undergone mastectomy, and less likely to have undergone mammary reconstruction or axillary dissection, or to have a family history of breast cancer.