Exploring Gut Microbiome Composition and Circulating Microbial DNA Fragments in Patients with Stage II/III Colorectal Cancer: A Comprehensive Analysis.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) significantly contributes to cancer-related mortality, necessitating the exploration of prognostic factors beyond TNM staging. This study investigates the composition of the gut microbiome and microbial DNA fragments in stage II/III CRC.

Methods: A cohort of 142 patients with stage II/III CRC and 91 healthy controls underwent comprehensive microbiome analysis.

Opioid burden in patients with inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma and the development of a multivariable risk prediction model for opioid use: A retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Risk prediction models to guide patient selection for early pre-emptive endoscopic ultrasound guided coeliac plexus neurolysis are lacking. This study aimed to determine in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer: (1) opioid burden, (2) the relationship between opioid use and all-cause mortality, (3) risk factors for opioid use, and (4) develop and internally validate a risk prediction model for opioid use at three months.

Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of patients with confirmed pancreatic cancer.

Best analgesia control in pancreatic adenocarcinoma study: justification and feasibility of a randomised trial of early EUS-CPN versus standard care-a prospective observational study (The BAC-PAC study).

Introduction: Limited and conflicting trial data is available on the efficacy of Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Coeliac Plexus Neurolysis (EUS-CPN). This study aimed to assess the feasibility, justification and to inform design considerations of a randomised trial of early EUS-CPN versus standard care.

Methods: This was a questionnaire-based prospective observational study of patients with inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma who were self-reporting their performance status, pain levels, analgesic use, quality of life (QoL) and healthcare resource use, on a monthly basis.

Telemedicine in Care of Sarcoma Patients beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenging environment for sarcoma patients. Most oncology societies published guidelines or recommendations prioritizing sarcoma patients and established telehealth as an efficient method of approaching them. The aim of this review is the assessment of current evidence regarding the utilization of telemedicine in diagnosis, treatment modalities, telerehabilitation and satisfaction among sarcoma patients and healthcare providers (HP).

Safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer and brain metastasis.

The presence of brain metastases (BM) is a negative prognostic factor for patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Their incidence seems to be higher in patients with oncogene-driven tumours, especially those with EGFR-mutated or ALK-rearranged tumours. Although targeted treatments demonstrate significant efficacy regarding BM, they only apply to a minority of NSCLC patients.

Matched Analyses of Brain Metastases versus Primary Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Reveal a Unique microRNA Signature.

Distant spreading of tumor cells to the central nervous system in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) occurs frequently and poses major clinical issues due to limited treatment options. RNAs displaying differential expression in brain metastasis versus primary NSCLC may explain distant tumor growth and may potentially be used as therapeutic targets. In this study, we conducted systematic microRNA expression profiling from tissue biopsies of primary NSCLC and brain metastases from 25 patients.

The Fractal Viewpoint of Tumors and Nanoparticles.

Even though the promising therapies against cancer are rapidly improved, the oncology patients population has seen exponential growth, placing cancer in 5th place among the ten deadliest diseases. Efficient drug delivery systems must overcome multiple barriers and maximize drug delivery to the target tumors, simultaneously limiting side effects. Since the first observation of the quantum tunneling phenomenon, many multidisciplinary studies have offered quantum-inspired solutions to optimized tumor mapping and efficient nanodrug design.

Resistance to TKIs in EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: From Mechanisms to New Therapeutic Strategies.

Resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in advanced mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) constitutes a therapeutic challenge. This review intends to summarize the existing knowledge about the mechanisms of resistance to TKIs in the context of EGFR mutant NSCLC and discuss its clinical and therapeutic implications. EGFR-dependent and independent molecular pathways have the potential to overcome or circumvent the activity of EGFR-targeted agents including the third-generation TKI, osimertinib, negatively impacting clinical outcomes.

The changing epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in Greece.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer globally, and is attributable mainly to viral hepatitis, alcohol and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods: Three hundred Greek patients diagnosed with HCC between 2000 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated for patient and HCC characteristics. Patients were classified as before 2011 (A) or after 2011 (B) and HCC risk factors were compared with historic Greek cohorts.

Resectable Colorectal Cancer: Current Perceptions on the Correlation of Recurrence Risk, Microbiota and Detection of Genetic Mutations in Liquid Biopsies.

Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) remains a highly lethal malignancy, although considerable progress has resulted from molecular alterations in guiding optimal use of available treatments. CRC recurrence remains a great barrier in the disease management. Hence, the spotlight turns to newly mapped fields concerning recurrence risk factors in patients with resectable CRC with a focus on genetic mutations, microbiota remodeling and liquid biopsies.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Overview of the Changing Landscape of Treatment Options.

The last three years have seen remarkable progress in comprehending predisposing factors and upgrading our treatment arsenal concerning hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Until recently, there were no means to withstand the progression of viral hepatitis-associated liver cirrhosis to HCC. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism of the disease, the use of biomarkers, and the follow-up, allowed us to realize that conventional chemotherapy failing to increase survival in patients with advanced HCC tends to be exiled from clinical practice.

Immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic small cell lung cancer: Focus on pembrolizumab.

Areas Covered: The current evidence on the role of pembrolizumab for patients with extensive SCLC is reviewed in this article. Particularly, preclinical and clinical data from phase I/II and III clinical trials, which evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of pembrolizumab for these patients, are summarized based on PubMed/MEDLINE search and relevant articles. In addition, future perspectives on the emerging role of immunotherapy for SCLC are highlighted in light of potentially useful biomarkers.

Real Impact of Novel Immunotherapy Drugs in Cancer. The Experience of 10 Last Years.

Intense research on immunotherapy has been conducted during recent years. As advances in the field have started changing the landscape of cancer therapy, it is necessary to assess the impact of immunotherapeutic modalities in the treatment of various cancers. Ten years ago, in 2011, ipilimumab was the first of the newest immunotherapeutic drugs against cancer to be approved by the FDA.

Brain and bone marrow metastases from rectal cancer.

Despite the development of new treatment options based on the molecular characterization of colorectal cancer, 20% of patients present de novo metastatic disease, whereas 30-40% of patients who receive curative treatment relapse during follow up. Herein, we report 2 cases with rectal cancer that developed uncommon sites of metastasis; the first patient had an isolated breast metastasis, while the second patient developed bone marrow infiltration with synchronous brain metastases. In order to evaluate the uncommon metastatic pattern of rectal cancer, we detected and enumerated circulating tumor cells (CTCs) using both immunofluorescence and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in these patients' peripheral blood.

Bridging clinic: The initial medical management of patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the 11th most common cancer in the UK and has the worst prognosis of any tumour with minimal improvements in survival over recent decades. As most patients are either ineligible for surgery or may decline chemotherapy, the emphasis is on control of symptoms and management of complications such as poor nutritional status. The time period between informing the patient of their diagnosis and commencing cancer treatments presents a valuable opportunity to proactively identify and treat symptoms to optimise patients' overall well-being.

Dietary Fiber and the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer.

Objectives: High dietary fiber may protect against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We investigated associations between fiber intake and the risk of PDAC using for the first time 7-day food diaries.

Methods: Participants in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer-Norfolk completed the 7-day food diaries at recruitment.

Pain in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: Prevalence, Mechanisms, Management and Future Developments.

Pain affects approximately 80% of patients with pancreatic cancer, with half requiring strong opioid analgesia, namely: morphine-based drugs on step three of the WHO analgesic ladder (as opposed to the weak opioids: codeine and tramadol). The presence of pain is associated with reduced survival. This article reviews the literature regarding pain: prevalence, mechanisms, pharmacological, and endoscopic treatments and identifies areas for research to develop individualized patient pain management pathways.

Carnitine modulates crucial myocardial adenosine triphosphatases and acetylcholinesterase enzyme activities in choline-deprived rats.

Choline is an essential nutrient, and choline deficiency has been associated with cardiovascular morbidity. Choline is also the precursor of acetylcholine (cholinergic component of the heart's autonomic nervous system), whose levels are regulated by acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Cardiac contraction-relaxation cycles depend on ion gradients established by pumps like the adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-ATPase.