Peripheral blood lymphocytes predict clinical outcomes in hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative advanced breast cancer patients treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Background: Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) combined with Endocrine Therapy (ET) are the standard treatment for patients with Hormone Receptor-positive/HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (HR+/HER2- aBC).

Objectives: While CDK4/6i are known to reduce several peripheral blood cells, such as neutrophils, lymphocytes and platelets, the impact of these modulations on clinical outcomes is unknown.

Design: A multicenter, retrospective-prospective Italian study.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Treatment Practices for Patients With Early Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study From a Large Cancer Center in Italy.

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted health services worldwide. The evidence on the impact of the pandemic on cancer care provision, however, is conflicting. We aimed to audit the management of patients diagnosed with early breast cancer (EBC) during the pandemic in a large, tertiary-level cancer center in Italy.

Prognostic significance of HER2-low status in HR-positive/HER2-negative advanced breast cancer treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Whether Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2)-low status has prognostic significance in HR + /HER2- advanced Breast Cancer (aBC) patients treated with first-line Endocrine Therapy plus CDK 4/6 inhibitors remains unclear. In 428 patients evaluated, HER2-low status was independently associated with significantly worse PFS and OS when compared with HER2-0 status. Based on our findings, HER2-low status could become a new prognostic biomarker in this clinical setting.

Incorporating weekly carboplatin in anthracycline and paclitaxel-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer: propensity-score matching analysis and TIL evaluation.

Background: The generation of data capturing the risk-benefit ratio of incorporating carboplatin (Cb) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in a clinical practice setting is urgently needed. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have an established role in TNBC receiving NACT, however, the role of TIL dynamics under NACT exposure in patients receiving the current standard of care is largely uncharted.

Methods: Consecutive TNBC patients receiving anthracycline-taxane [A-T] +/- Cb NACT at three Institutions were enrolled.

HER2DX genomic test in HER2-positive/hormone receptor-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant trastuzumab and pertuzumab: A correlative analysis from the PerELISA trial.

Background: HER2DX is a prognostic and predictive assay in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer based on clinical features and the expression of 4 gene signatures (immune, proliferation, luminal differentiation and HER2 amplicon), including ERBB2 mRNA levels. Here, we evaluated the ability of HER2DX to predict efficacy of a de-escalated, chemotherapy-free neoadjuvant regimen in HER2-positive/hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Methods: HER2DX was evaluated on pre-treatment tumour samples from the PerELISA phase II study focused on postmenopausal patients with operable HER2-positive/hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Optimizing CDK4/6 inhibitors in advanced HR+/HER2- breast cancer: A personalized approach.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) combined with endocrine therapy (ET) are now a backbone of treatment for hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer. CDK4/6i plus ET is more effective than ET alone in this setting; however, the risk of grade 3-4 adverse events also increases. Approved agents in this class have similar efficacies, but important differences due to their structural and pharmacological properties.

Impact of estrogen receptor levels on outcome in non-metastatic triple negative breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy.

Although 1% is the recommended cut-off to define estrogen receptor (ER) positivity, a 10% cut-off is often used in clinical practice for therapeutic purposes. We here evaluate clinical outcomes according to ER levels in a monoinstitutional cohort of non-metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (BC) patients undergoing (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy. Clinicopathological data of 406 patients with ER < 10% HER2-negative BC treated with (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy between 01/2000 and 04/2019 were collected.

Everolimus plus aromatase inhibitors as maintenance therapy after first-line chemotherapy: Final results of the phase III randomised MAIN-A (MAINtenance Afinitor) trial.

Background: Despite endocrine therapy being the mainstay of treatment for hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2- metastatic breast cancer, patients at risk of visceral crisis or doubt for endocrine sensitivity are still offered first-line chemotherapy. Maintenance hormonal therapy is generally offered at the discontinuation of chemotherapy. The MAINtenance Afinitor study is a randomised, phase III trial comparing maintenance everolimus combined with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) versus AI monotherapy in patients with disease control after first-line chemotherapy.

Impact of Baseline and On-Treatment Glycemia on Everolimus-Exemestane Efficacy in Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer (EVERMET).

Purpose: The mTOR complex C1 (mTORC1) inhibitor everolimus in combination with the aromatase inhibitor exemestane is an effective treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR), HER2-negative (HER2), advanced breast cancer (HR/HER2 aBC). However, everolimus can cause hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, which could reactivate the PI3K/protein kinase B (AKT)/mTORC1 pathway and induce tumor resistance to everolimus.

Experimental Design: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, Italian study to investigate the impact of baseline and on-treatment (i.

Prognostic factors in phyllodes tumours of the breast: retrospective study on 166 consecutive cases.

Background: Phyllodes tumours (PTs) are rare fibroepithelial tumours accounting for <1% of all breast tumours. We assessed clinicopathological features and their prognostic effect in a single-institution patients' cohort.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with PT between 2001 and 2018 at our institution were identified.

Integration of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes, programmed cell-death ligand-1, CD8 and FOXP3 in prognostic models for triple-negative breast cancer: Analysis of 244 stage I-III patients treated with standard therapy.

Background: Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are an established prognostic biomarker for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We evaluated the role of programmed cell-death ligand-1 (PD-L1), CD8 and FOXP3 expression in refining a prognostic model for non-metastatic TNBC beyond classic factors and TILs.

Methods: Primary tumour samples from 244 early patients with TNBC, all treated with surgery and chemotherapy, were collected.

Use of scalp cooling device to prevent alopecia for early breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: A prospective study.

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) affects the majority of patients receiving chemotherapy (CT) for early breast cancer. It is a highly distressing side effect of CT, with psychological and social impact. Primary aim of the present analysis was to assess the efficacy of scalp cooling with DigniCap® in preventing CIA.

Androgen Receptor Expression and Association With Distant Disease-Free Survival in Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Analysis of 263 Patients Treated With Standard Therapy for Stage I-III Disease.

We evaluated immunohistochemical AR expression and correlation with prognosis in a large series of homogeneously treated patients with primary TNBC. Patients diagnosed with stage I-III TNBC between 2000 and 2015 at Istituto Oncologico Veneto who received treatment with surgery and neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy were included. Whole tissue slides were stained for AR.

Exceptional and Durable Responses to TDM-1 After Trastuzumab Failure for Breast Cancer Skin Metastases: Potential Implications of an Immunological Sanctuary.

Breast Cancer (BC) skin metastases represent a challenging clinical scenario. Although they usually arise when other distant metastases are already present, they may also represent a form of locoregional recurrence (LRR). Systemic therapy in this setting may have a role both in case a radical locoregional approach is unfeasible in order to achieve disease control, and as adjuvant strategy after radical removal of cutaneous lesions, in order to prevent or delay subsequent disease spread.

Patterns of Fertility Preservation and Pregnancy Outcome After Breast Cancer at a Large Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Background: In the last decades, long-term outcomes of breast cancer (BC) patients have improved, raising new survivorship issues, including fertility preservation and safety of pregnancy after BC. This study assesses evolution in patterns of fertility discussion/preservation over time and reports pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of young BC patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 590 BC patients aged ≤40 diagnosed between 2000 and 2016 at a large cancer center was identified.

Immune characterization of breast cancer metastases: prognostic implications.

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) evaluated in primary breast cancer (BC) convey prognostic information. Limited data in the metastatic setting are available.

Methods: Secondary lesions from 94 BC patients, 43 triple-negative (TN) and 51 HER2-positive, were evaluated for TILs and expression of CD8, FOXP3, and PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry.

Beyond breast specific-Graded Prognostic Assessment in patients with brain metastases from breast cancer: treatment impact on outcome.

Brain metastases are a serious relatively common complication of breast cancer. We evaluated prognostic factors for survival after diagnosis of brain metastases from breast cancer in a contemporary cohort of patients. Patients diagnosed with breast cancer brain metastases at our institution between 1999 and March 2016 were evaluated.

Cross-talk between chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) tumor B cells and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs): implications for neoplastic cell survival.

Leukemic cells from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) patients interact with stromal cells of the surrounding microenvironment. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) represent the main population in CLL marrow stroma, which may play a key role for disease support and progression. In this study we evaluated whether MSCs influence in vitro CLL cell survival.

Complete response to weekly carboplatin-docetaxel chemotherapy in a 91-year-old woman with anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an unusual tumor with the worst prognosis among thyroid malignancies. Treatment of the patients diagnosed with ATC is not standardized and the feasible options include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. ATC cannot be regarded as a very chemo-sensitive tumor.

Electrochemotherapy in non-melanoma head and neck cancers: a retrospective analysis of the treated cases.

Electrochemotherapy increases the permeability of tumours to drugs by electric voltages applied locally. Its value in tumours of the head and neck is unknown. We retrospectively reviewed a 2-centre database, and found 39 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity or oropharynx (n=12) or non-melanoma skin tumours (n=27) who had been treated with bleomycin electrochemotherapy with needle electrodes.

Late onset (22 years) of simultaneous tonsillar and cervical lymph node metastases from breast ductal carcinoma.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide; the most common metastatic sites are lymph nodes, lung, liver, and brain. Tonsil metastases from breast cancer are extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of a 74-year-old woman with simultaneous occurrence of tonsillar and cervical lymph nodes metastases after a disease-free interval of 22 years.