Phase II randomized trial comparing metronomic anthracycline-containing chemotherapy versus standard schedule in untreated HER2 negative advanced breast cancer: activity and quality of life results of the GOIM 21003 trial.

Background: Optimizing chemotherapy to achieve disease and symptoms control is a noteworthy purpose in advanced breast cancer (ABC). We reported the activity and quality of life of a phase II study, comparing metronomic regimen with standard schedule as first line chemotherapy for ABC.

Methods: Patients with HER2 negative ABC were randomized to non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (NPLD, 60 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) and cyclophosphamide (CTX, 600 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) (Arm A) or NPLD (20 mg/m2 day, on day 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks) and metronomic daily oral CTX 50 mg (ARM B).

Metronomic oral chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide plus capecitabine combined with trastuzumab (HEX) as first line therapy of HER-2 positive advanced breast cancer: A phase II trial of the Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale (GOIM).

Background: The combination of chemotherapy plus anti HER-2 agents is the mainstay of HER-2 positive advanced breast cancer (ABC) therapy. We conducted a phase II trial testing activity and safety of trastuzumab and metronomic capecitabine/cyclophosphamide (HEX) as first-line therapy in HER-2 positive ABC.
Methods.

Eribulin plus trastuzumab in pretreated HER2-positive advanced breast cancer patients: safety and efficacy. An Italian experience.

Background: Chemotherapy plus targeted therapy is the established treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing breast cancer (BC). Limited data regarding the safety and activity of the combination of eribulin and trastuzumab (E/T) in pretreated HER2-positive advanced BC (ABC) are available. The aim of this observational, retrospective, multicenter study was to examine the tolerability and the clinical activity of E/T in this setting.

Final results of a prospective study of scalp cooling in preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Alopecia is a distressing effect of cancer treatments. Our study examined efficacy and safety of scalp cooling to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Early breast cancer patients candidate to anthracycline and/or taxane were eligible.

Discordance in pathology report after central pathology review: Implications for breast cancer adjuvant treatment.

Aim: Pathological predictive factors are the most important markers when selecting early breast cancer adjuvant therapy. In randomized clinical trials the variability in pathology report after central pathology review is noteworthy. We evaluated the discordance rate (DR) and inter-rater agreement between local and central histopathological report and the clinical implication on treatment decision.

Panitumumab after progression on cetuximab in KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer patients: a single institution experience.

Aims And Background: Few data describe the activity of panitumumab after cetuximab-irinotecan-based regimen failure in patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (WT MCRC).

Methods: The aim of this study is to assess if panitumumab has some activity in this setting.

Results: We retrospectively analyzed 25 patients with KRAS WT MCRC who received panitumumab from July 2009 to January 2013 after progression on cetuximab.

Recent advances in the treatment of hormone receptor positive HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer.

Endocrine therapy is the recommended systemic therapy for hormone receptor (HR) positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However so far the limited number of endocrine agents and the onset of endocrine resistance have severely limited the therapeutic options for this patients. In the last years many targeted agents have been investigated to prevent or overcome endocrine resistance; only a few of them have been found effective in HR positive MBC, such as everolimus, CK4/6 inhibitors and HDAC inhibitors.

BMI variation increases recurrence risk in women with early-stage breast cancer.

Aims: The prognostic role of BMI variation during and/or after treatments for early-stage breast cancer is still unknown.

Patients & Methods: The χ(2) test was conducted to explore the correlation between breast cancer recurrence and BMI changes in 520 early-stage breast cancer patients. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the association of BMI changes, baseline BMI, known prognostic factors and recurrences.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer: heat shock protein 90 overexpression, Ki67 proliferative index, and topoisomerase II-α co-amplification as predictors of pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab and docetaxel.

Background: The combination of trastuzumab and chemotherapy is currently considered the standard of care for patients with locally advanced/operable human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. The potential correlation between the pathologic complete response (pCR) and the overexpression of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), Ki67, and the amplification of topoisomerase II-α (TOPO2A) was investigated in a series of patients who received neoadjuvant treatment.

Methods: HER2-amplified patients who received neoadjuvant trastuzumab-docetaxel were gathered.

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.