Novel Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Targets in Advanced or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have become the cornerstone of treatment in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), for both metastatic disease and in an adjuvant setting. However, an adaptive resistance from cancer cells may arise during ICI treatment, therefore many studies are focusing on additional immune checkpoint inhibitor pathways. Promising targets of immunotherapeutic agents under investigation include T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), immunoglobulin-like transcript 4 (ILT4), lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), vaccines, T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells.

Appropriateness of Mini-Invasive Approaches for Nausea and Vomiting Refractory to Medical Therapy in Palliative Care Setting: A Case Report.

Introduction: Nausea and vomiting are frequent multifactorial symptoms in oncological patients. These manifestations, mainly affecting the advanced disease stages, may lead to existential, psychological, and physical suffering, with a negative impact on the quality of life (QoL) of the individual and his family. The medical approach makes use of a wide range of drugs, with different antiemetic potency and various mechanisms of action, taking into account the etiology and the patient's response to the different therapeutic strategies.

Transmission of β-lactamases in the pork food chain: A public health concern.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a risk for public health that requires management in a One Health perspective, including humans, animals, and the environment. The food production chain has been identified as a possible route of transmission of AMR bacteria to humans. The most critical issue regards resistance to the Critically Important Antimicrobials (CIAs), such as β-lactams antibiotics.

Clinical Utility and Application of Liquid Biopsy Genotyping in Lung Cancer: A Comprehensive Review.

Precision medicine has revolutionized the therapeutic management of cancer patients with a major impact on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly lung adenocarcinoma, where advances have been remarkable. Tissue biopsy, required for tumor molecular testing, has significant limitations due to the difficulty of the biopsy site or the inadequacy of the histological specimen. In this context, liquid biopsy, consisting of the analysis of tumor-released materials circulating in body fluids, such as blood, is increasingly emerging as a valuable and non-invasive biomarker for detecting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) carrying molecular tumor signatures.

Reduction trend of mcr-1 circulation in Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy.

This study aims to describe trends of mcr-positive Enterobacterales in humans based on laboratory surveillance with a defined catchment population. The data source is the Micro-RER surveillance system, established in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), to monitor the trend of mcr resistance. Enterobacterales isolates from human clinical samples with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥ 2 mg/L for colistin were sent to the study reference laboratory for the detection of mcr genes.

COVID-19 and breast fine needle aspiration cytology method: What should we change?

Introduction: Air-dried slide preparation for fine needle aspiration cytology procedures is currently considered unsafe because of the risk of infectious aerosols of coronavirus 19. This study compares the safety and accuracy of two different protocols, one with and one without air-dried slides.

Methods: Starting from 3 March 2020, we discontinued the use of air-dried slides during breast fine needle aspiration procedures.

Global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cytopathology practice: Results from an international survey of laboratories in 23 countries.

Background: To the authors' knowledge, the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cytopathology practices worldwide has not been investigated formally. In the current study, data from 41 respondents from 23 countries were reported.

Methods: Data regarding the activity of each cytopathology laboratory during 4 weeks of COVID-19 lockdown were collected and compared with those obtained during the corresponding period in 2019.

Next-generation sequencing-based BRCA testing on cytological specimens from ovarian cancer ascites reveals high concordance with tumour tissue analysis.

Background: With the approval of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib for newly diagnosed, breast cancer gene mutated, ovarian cancer women, the assessment of tumour status will be shortly required at the time of diagnosis.

Aim: To investigate the feasibility of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based BRCA tumour test on cytological specimens from ovarian cancer ascites.

Methods: We evaluated the status on neoplastic ascites and corresponding tumour tissue of 11 patients with ovarian cancer, using the NGS 'Oncomine BRCA Research Assay'.

Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Thoracic Diseases: Much More than Mediastinal Staging.

Background And Objective: EBUS-TBNA has revolutionized the diagnostic approach to thoracic diseases from a surgical to minimally invasive procedure. In non small-cell lung cancer (NCSLC) patients, EBUS-TBNA is able to dictate the consecutive therapy both for early and advanced stages, providing pathological diagnosis, mediastinal staging, and even adequate specimens for molecular analysis. This study reports on the ability of EBUS-TBNA to make different diagnoses and dictates the consecutive therapy in a large cohort of patients presenting different thoracic diseases.

MicroRNA expression profile in primary lung cancer cells lines obtained by endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration.

Background: Novel cancer biomarkers like microRNA (miRNA) are promising tools to gain a better understanding of lung cancer pathology and yield important information to guide therapy. In recent years, new less invasive methods for the diagnosis and staging of NSCLC have become key tools in thoracic oncology and the worldwide spread of endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). However, appropriate specimen handling is mandatory to achieve adequate results and reproducibility.

Acquired Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers: The Role of Next-Generation Sequencing on Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Samples.

Context: - Molecular testing is essential for the diagnostic workup of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancers. Cytology specimens from minimally invasive procedures, such as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration, are often the only available samples for these patients. The implementation of molecular diagnostic testing, and in particular next-generation sequencing-based testing, on these cytologic specimens is currently an evolving field for lung cytopathology.

The long tail of molecular alterations in non-small cell lung cancer: a single-institution experience of next-generation sequencing in clinical molecular diagnostics.

Background: Molecular profiling of advanced non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) is essential to identify patients who may benefit from targeted treatments. In the last years, the number of potentially actionable molecular alterations has rapidly increased. Next-generation sequencing allows for the analysis of multiple genes simultaneously.

EBUS-TBNA in PET-positive lymphadenopathies in treated cancer patients.

Mediastinal lymph node enlargement is common in the follow-up of patients with previously treated malignancies. The aim of this study is to assess the role of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) for cyto-histological evaluation of positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose (PET) positive mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes developed in patients with previous malignancies. All EBUS-TBNA cases performed from January 2012 to May 2016 were retrospective reviewed.

Autophagy regulates UBC9 levels during viral-mediated tumorigenesis.

UBC9, the sole E2-conjugating enzyme required for SUMOylation, is a key regulator of essential cellular functions and, as such, is frequently altered in cancers. Along these lines, we recently reported that its expression gradually increases during early stages of human papillomavirus (HPV)-mediated cervical lesions transformation. However, a better understanding of how UBC9 is exploited by transforming viral oncoproteins is still needed.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Human Papillomavirus Infection in 18-Year-Old Women: Baseline Report of a Prospective Study on Human Papillomavirus Vaccine.

Objectives: Little is known about the epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) in Italy before the age of 25. At the European Institute of Oncology, a prospective observational study on cervical HPV infection in 18-year-old women undergoing quadrivalent HPV vaccination is ongoing.

Methods: At the first visit before vaccination, all the young women answered an epidemiological questionnaire, and then, the presence of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) was tested.

Successful palliative approach with high-intensity focused ultrasound in a patient with metastatic anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma: a case report.

We report a case of a 74-year-old man with a metastatic anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma (APC). After an early tumour progression on first-line chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine, even though it was badly tolerated, he was treated with a combination of systemic modified FOLFIRI and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) on the pancreatic mass. A tumour showing partial response with a clinical benefit was obtained.

Molecular Testing for Targeted Therapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Suitability of Endobronchial Ultrasound Transbronchial Needle Aspiration.

Objectives: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive procedure that has revolutionized the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. The goal of the present study was to investigate the yield and applicability of molecular testing in the specimens obtained by EBUS-TBNA from patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), comparing the results with a series of patients who underwent diagnostic surgical procedures in the same institution.

Methods: The study followed 306 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed primary lung cancer who had the EBUS-TBNA procedure.

The predictive value of human papillomavirus testing for the outcome of patients conservatively treated for stage IA squamous cell cervical carcinoma.

Background: Although it is hypothesised that human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may have a role in surveillance of patients conservatively treated for stage IA squamous cell cervical carcinoma, research on this topic has been minimal.

Objectives: To determine: (1) the changes in HPV test result from treatment onward; (2) the time to viral clearance; and (3) the negative predictive value (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) of HPV test result for the detection of CIN2 or worse (CIN2+) during follow-up.

Study Design: In a multicentre retrospective follow-up study of a consecutive series (1997-2009) of 91 patients, longitudinal outcome measures were estimated as cumulative probabilities using the Kaplan-Meier method.

The SUMO conjugating enzyme UBC9 as a biomarker for cervical HPV infections.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) infect stratified epithelium and are the causative agents of cervical cancer, the second most common cause of cancer-related death in women. A critical aspect that still persists in the HPV field is the selection of very sensitive and specific HPV diagnostic assays. Here, we provide evidence that the crucial small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E2-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 is strongly upregulated in cervical lesions.

Endobronchial ultrasound for mediastinal staging in lung cancer patients.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has changed the way mediastinal staging is performed in lung cancer patients. EBUS-TBNA is probably the most important non-invasive procedure for mediastinal staging and the currently preferred approach in many reference cancer centres worldwide. EBUS-TBNA is a less invasive technique than mediastinoscopy with low morbidity and no mortality and can be performed in an outpatient setting with excellent results.

Performance of self-sampled HPV test in comparison with liquid based cytology.

Objective: Strong evidences shows that HPV testing is more sensitive than cytology in detecting high-grade CIN. HPV test can be performed on samples collected by women themselves by means of self-sampling devices. This study compares the results of self-sampled HPV tests with the results of liquid based cytology (LBC).

Breast ductal lavage for biomarker assessment in high risk women: rationale, design and methodology of a randomized phase II clinical trial with nimesulide, simvastatin and placebo.

Background: Despite positive results from large phase III clinical trials proved that it is possible to prevent estrogen-responsive breast cancers with selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors, no significant results have been reached so far to prevent hormone non-responsive tumors. The Ductal Lavage (DL) procedure offers a minimally invasive method to obtain breast epithelial cells from the ductal system for cytopathologic analysis. Several studies with long-term follow-up have shown that women with atypical hyperplasia have an elevated risk of developing breast cancer.