Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i): Mechanisms of resistance and where to find them.

CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have significantly impacted on the treatment of HR + HER2 negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (BC) when combined with endocrine therapy. Nonetheless, despite significant research efforts, the mechanisms of de novo and acquired resistance to CDK4/6i have not yet been fully elucidated, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of these process. Additionally, the importance of dissecting CDK4/6i resistance from endocrine resistance for personalized treatment is increasingly recognized.

Clinico-pathological predictors of radiologic complete response to first-line anti-HER2 therapy in metastatic breast cancer.

This study aimed to identify the clinico-pathological variables predictive of radiologic complete response (rCR) to first-line anti-HER2 therapy in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Patients were selected from the database of the GIM14 study and classified according to the best radiologic response obtained to first-line anti-HER2 therapy and upon time-to-treatment-discontinuation (TTD). A total of 545 patients were included in the analysis.

Is ctDNA ready to outpace imaging in monitoring early and advanced breast cancer?

Introduction: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and radiological imaging are increasingly recognized as crucial elements in breast cancer management. While radiology remains the cornerstone for screening and monitoring, ctDNA holds distinctive advantages in anticipating diagnosis, recurrence, or progression, providing concurrent biological insights complementary to imaging results.

Areas Covered: This review delves into the current evidence on the synergistic relationship between ctDNA and imaging in breast cancer.

Managing sexual health challenges in breast cancer survivors: A comprehensive review.

The significant advancements in breast cancer management have led to an increase in the prevalence of breast cancer survivors. Despite their efficacy, these treatments can cause a variable range of side effects, significantly deteriorating the patients' quality of life. Sexual dysfunction, and in particular the genitourinary syndrome of menopause, represent one of the major causes of quality-of-life impairment among breast cancer patients, potentially affecting treatment adherence and compliance.

Nutritional Management of Oncological Symptoms: A Comprehensive Review.

Throughout their experience of illness and during the course of treatment, a substantial proportion of cancer patients are prone to develop nutritional and/or metabolic disturbances. Additionally, cancer patients often encounter long-term side effects from therapies, which may lead to impaired digestion, nutrient absorption or bowel motility. Therefore, the preservation and maintenance of an optimal and balanced nutritional status are pivotal to achieving a better prognosis, increasing the tolerance and adherence to cancer therapies and improving the overall quality of life.

Estrogen deprivation effects of endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients: Incidence, management and outcome.

Endocrine therapy is one of the standard adjuvant treatments to reduce the risk of recurrence and mortality in patients with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer. Despite its proven efficacy, ET side effects, which persist over time even if low grade, may deteriorate quality of life. During follow-up visits, emphasis is generally placed on the risk of disease recurrence, while the topic of ET side effects is commonly neglected and discussed only briefly.

Risk-Based Therapeutic Strategies for HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer: A Consensus Paper.

Breast cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm worldwide and the HER2-positive subtype accounts for nearly 1 in 5 breast cancers. The majority of patients with breast cancer present with an early-stage disease upon diagnosis, which is thus susceptible to virtually curative treatment strategies. For a stage, I T1a/b N0 HER2-positive disease, upfront surgery followed by adjuvant therapy is the preferred approach.

The puzzling clinical presentation of fluoropyrimidines cardiotoxicity.

The cardiotoxicity of fluoropyrimidines (FP) [5-Fluorouracil and Capecitabine] is often reported as acute cardiac ischemia with rest typical angina, signs of ischemia at electrocardiogram (ECG), and ventricular kinetics abnormalities. However, silent ischemia, effort-related toxicity, and ventricular arrhythmias (VA) have been also described. The aim of this study is to report a consecutive series of 115 patients with FP cardiotoxicity observed in a single center both within clinical prospective studies and during the clinical routine.

Liquid Biopsy, an Everchanging Balance between Clinical Utility and Emerging Technologies.

To date, tissue biopsy still represents the mainstay for tumor diagnosis and molecular characterization [...

Tailoring adjuvant endocrine therapy in early breast cancer: When, how, and how long?

Endocrine therapy represents the gold standard for the adjuvant treatment of luminal-like early breast cancer, but its personalization is still a major point of debate. To define the most appropriate therapeutic strategy, both the patient's menopausal status at the moment of diagnosis and the individual risk of disease recurrence should be taken into account. Five years of therapy with tamoxifen represent the standard of care for low-risk pre/perimenopausal patients, whilst the combination of ovarian suppression with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor should be considered for high-risk patients.

The Impact of Cereal Grain Composition on the Health and Disease Outcomes.

Whole grains are a pivotal food category for the human diet and represent an invaluable source of carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, phytocompunds, minerals, and vitamins. Many studies have shown that the consumption of whole grains is linked to a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. However, several of their positive health effects seem to disappear when grains are consumed in the refined form.