Measuring cfDNA integrity as a biomarker for predicting neoadjuvant chemotherapy response in breast cancer patients: a pilot study.

Purpose: Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a promising biomarker for predicting treatment response and disease outcomes in Breast Cancer (BC) patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). To determine if cfDNA originates from tumors, matching tumor and cfDNA gene mutations are necessary, often requiring tumor DNA sequencing. We assessed plasma cfDNA integrity by measuring concentrations and ratios of larger-to-smaller Alu DNA fractions as a potential biomarker, eliminating the need for prior tumor sequencing.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as biomarkers to prognosticate survival in advanced gastric cancer patients in the era of immunotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) remains an important global health concern with limited treatment options for advanced cases. Immunotherapy has shown promising results, but identifying predictive biomarkers for treatment efficacy is challenging. Novel inflammatory markers, such as the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived from complete blood count measurements, have gained attention as potential prognostic indicators.

Bitter ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) for patients with solid tumors with no treatment options: A pilot clinical study.

Introduction: Zerumbone is a natural compound found in bitter ginger plants (Zingiber zerumbet) that shows antiproliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. We aimed to investigate the role of zerumbone in improving the quality of life and symptom control in cancer patients with no treatment options.

Methods: We conducted a pilot, non-randomized, single-center, open prospective, and systematic study on the use of 400 mg of zerumbone twice a day.

Febrile neutropenia incidence and the variable toxicity profile between brand and generic docetaxel in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer with docetaxel and cyclophosphamide regimen.

Objective: To assess the incidence of febrile neutropenia without primary granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prophylaxis in patients undergoing chemotherapy with adjuvant docetaxel and cyclophosphamide, and to evaluate the toxicity profile of brand-name docetaxel (Taxotere ® ) and the generic formulation.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted using data obtained from electronic medical records of patients treated at a Brazilian cancer center. Patients with breast cancer who underwent adjuvant treatment between January 2016 and June 2019 were selected.

Role of intrathecal chemotherapy in the management of meningeal carcinomatosis in patients with breast cancer.

Objective: To evaluate whether intrathecal chemotherapy improves clinical outcomes in patients with meningeal carcinomatosis.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients with breast cancer diagnosed with meningeal carcinomatosis. Clinical and treatment data were collected from the patients' medical charts.

Critical assessment of resource waste in staging and follow-up of breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is a public health problem with both high incidence and cure rates. After treatment, patients are monitored for long periods of time due to the risk of recurrence. Thus, staging and follow-up strategies should consider not only the best results for the patient but also its costs for the public health system.

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with BRCA2 mutation and longstanding disease control on olaparib, developing triple negative breast adenocarcinoma with additional BRCA2 reversion mutation: a case report.

Background: The BRCA2 gene is a well-known tumor suppressor gene implicated in breast and ovarian cancers. BRCA1/2 mutations can be sensitive to poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors such as olaparib. However, some of these patients develop resistance to this treatment and an essential factor contributing to acquired insensitivity is the occurrence of reversion mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes.

The use of artificial intelligence to improve the scientific writing of non-native english speakers.

Objective: Scientific writing in English is a daunting task for non-native English speakers. The challenges of writing in a foreign language are evident in the scientific literature where texts by non-native English-speaking scientists tend to be less clear and succinct, contain grammatical errors, and are often rejected by prestigious journals.

Methods: We conducted a non-systematic review of the most recent literature using the terms "Artificial Intelligence," "Scientific Writing," and "Non-English Speaking" to create a narrative review.

Fecal transplantation in patient with metastatic melanoma refractory to immunotherapy: A case report.

Background: Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma, but a significant proportion of patients still experience treatment resistance. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a potential strategy to overcome immunotherapy resistance by modulating the gut microbiome.

Case Summary: We present a case report of a 57-year-old male with metastatic melanoma refractory to immunotherapy who received FMT in combination with anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunotherapy (pembrolizumab).

Evaluation of factors predicting the benefit from systemic oncological treatment for severely ill hospitalized patients: a retrospective study.

Background: Patients with cancer in the disease's end-stage with poor performance represent a challenging clinical scenario, as they have high chance of a fatal outcome due to clinical conditions, oncological emergencies, and/or metastatic disease. This study examines the factors predicting the potential benefit of "urgent" chemotherapy during hospitalization in this setting, thus addressing a research gap.

Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in the largest cancer center in the outskirts of São Paulo.

Physical Examination in Medical Oncology Guiding the Development of a Protocol for Teleoncology Care in a Public Health Care Oncology Service.

Purpose: We aimed to define clinical variables that could predict changes in physical examination (PE) findings and consequently lead to significant differences in clinical management. This knowledge is important because of the growing popularity of teleoncology consultations, in which there is no possibility of PE, aside from inspection.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted in two public hospitals in Brazil.

Induction Therapy With Cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, and Paclitaxel in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the toxicities and response rate of a modified TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil) protocol in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (ECOG performance status ≤1).

Patients And Methods: Induction treatment consisted of cisplatin 25 mg/m/day as a 90 min infusion for three consecutive days, leucovorin 20 mg/m/day as a bolus for four consecutive days, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 370 mg/m/day as a bolus for four consecutive days, and paclitaxel 60 mg/m as a 1-h infusion on Days 1, 8, and 15, repeated every 3-4 weeks (twelve cycles to 6 patients).

Results: The main toxicities were grade 1 neuropathy, mucositis, and fatigue.

International trends in pulmonary neuroendocrine cancer studies:a scientometric study.

Introduction: Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors account for approximately 20% of all primary lung tumors. Few studies summarize the current body of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors studies worldwide.

Objective: A quantitative scientometric analysis was conducted to evaluate the development of applications and innovations and to analyze their contribution to various areas of improvement in treatment and diagnosis of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors.

Pre-analytical processing protocol of breast biopsies affects multigene panel results.

The creation of multigene panels for prognostic and predictive purposes allows a more accurate indication of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with breast cancer. In a previous study, we reproduced a multigene panel of 21 genes based on the commercial Oncotype-DX method. We submitted 183 embedded specimens obtained from breast surgery on patients with locoregional disease (stages I to III) between 2005 and 2010 performed at the Hospitals of the Medical School of the ABC Foundation.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of Ado-trastuzumab emtansine for the treatment of residual invasive HER2-positive breast cancer.

Objective: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression occurs in up to 30% of breast cancer cases. Ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is approved to treat residual HER2-positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the quality-adjusted time with symptoms or toxicity and without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST) of T-DM1 compared to trastuzumab for residual invasive HER2-positive breast cancer.

Cross-cultural translation and adaptation of Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Multiple Myeloma tool - MM1 and LEU3 - for Portuguese.

Objective: To describe of the translation from English to Portuguese and adaption process of subitems of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Multiple Myeloma.

Methods: In the first phase, translations from English into Portuguese of two subitems of Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Multiple Myeloma were performed. Subsequently, a consensus and back translation were conducted, and, finally, translation and back translations were reviewed by four independent bilingual experts.

High mortality among patients with cancer and COVID-19 infection: the experience of a Brazilian cancer center.

Objective: To evaluate the severity of COVID-19 in cancer patients to describe clinical and epidemiological factors associated with poor outcomes (mortality and need of intensive care unit admission or mechanical ventilation).

Methods: Retrospective data from patients with cancer and laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, obtained between March 16 and May 29, 2020, were retrieved out of a cancer center database. Data analyzed included patient history, age, sex, comorbidities, types of cancer and anticancer therapy.

Diagnostic potential of hypoxia-induced genes in liquid biopsies of breast cancer patients.

In tumor cells, higher expression of glucose transporter proteins (GLUT) and carbonic anhydrases (CAIX) genes is influenced by hypoxia-induced factors (HIF).Thus, we aimed to study the expression profile of these markers in sequential peripheral blood collections performed in breast cancer patients in order to verify their predictive potential in liquid biopsies. Gene expressions were analyzed by qPCR in tumor and blood samples from 125 patients and 25 healthy women.

Prolonged rituximab maintenance in follicular lymphoma patients: long-term results of the SAKK 35/03 randomized trial.

The Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK) conducted the SAKK 35/03 randomized trial (NCT00227695) to investigate different rituximab monotherapy schedules in patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). Here, we report their long-term treatment outcome. Two-hundred and seventy FL patients were treated with 4 weekly doses of rituximab monotherapy (375 mg/m2); 165 of them, achieving at least a partial response, were randomly assigned to maintenance rituximab (375 mg/m2 every 2 months) on a short-term (4 administrations; n = 82) or a long-term (up to a maximum of 5 years; n = 83) schedule.

Assessment of costs related to cancer treatment.

Introduction: Cancer patients and their caregivers incur costs not covered by the Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS(Unified Health System) during their treatment, with expenses related to transportation, symptomatic medications, food, loss of working days, and others.

Objective: To evaluate the costs incurred and not covered for cancer patients and their caregivers during cancer treatment at SUS.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 110 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and 88 caregivers in the last month prior to their inclusion in the study.

Complete Clinical Response in Stage IVB Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinoma after First-Line Pembrolizumab Therapy: Report of a Case with Isolated Loss of PMS2 Protein.

Endometrial cancer is the only gynecological cancer that is rising in incidence and associated mortality worldwide. Although most cases are diagnosed as early stage disease, with chances of cure after primary surgical treatment, those with advanced or metastatic disease have a poor prognosis because of the quality of treatment options that are currently available. Mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient cancers are susceptible to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitors.

Depression, anxiety and spirituality in oncology patients.

OBJECTIVE To relate anxiety and depression levels to the spirituality levels of oncology patients in the ABC region. METHODS Cross-sectional study performed at the ABC University Center oncology outpatient clinics. For the evaluation of spirituality, the Religiosity, Spirituality, and Personal Beliefs instrument of the World Health Organization (SRPB-WHO) was applied.

Perception of risk factors for cancer in the ABC population.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the knowledge about risk factors for cancer in patients treated at the ABC Medical School (FMABC). METHODS Cross-sectional observational study conducted in 2019. The American Cancer Institute's Cancer Risk Awareness Survey questionnaire was used with 29 cancer risk factors, 14 of which were proven to cause cancer and 15 without consensus or scientific evidence of causality with cancer but that are often reminded by most of the population.