Effect of sex on psychological distress and fatigue over time in a prospective cohort of cancer survivors.

Background: Studies indicate a higher level of distress in women than men with cancer, but whether this difference is retained over time is unknown. We studied the frequency and level of distress and fatigue during time according to gender in a cohort of cancer survivors.

Patients And Methods: In this prospective study, cancer survivors were invited to undergo a psychological session immediately before the medical visit.

Patient- versus physician-reported outcomes in a low-dose tamoxifen trial in noninvasive breast cancer.

Background: We recently conducted a de-escalation trial of low-dose tamoxifen 5 mg/day ("babytam", BT) or placebo given for 3 years in 500 women with noninvasive breast cancer. Women on babytam had a 52% reduction of recurrence (invasive breast cancer or DCIS) after 5 years. Since menopausal symptoms are major reasons for treatment withdrawal during tamoxifen preventive therapy, we compared and analyzed the patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with the physician-reported adverse events and studied their association with recurrence.

Pharmacokinetics, safety, and activity of trabectedin as first-line treatment in elderly patients who are affected by advanced sarcoma and are unfit to receive standard chemotherapy: A phase 2 study (TR1US study) from the Italian Sarcoma Group.

Background: Although elderly patients (≥70 years) represent 30% of new diagnoses of soft tissue sarcoma (STS), they are underrepresented in clinical trials and are often unfit to receive standard anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Trabectedin is registered as a second-line treatment for advanced STS and is characterized by a favorable safety profile.

Methods: The aim of this single-arm, phase 2 study was to investigate trabectedin (scheduled dose, 1.

HCV elimination plan leads to significant benefits in managing liver-related diseases and hospital interventions: a regional simulation.

Objectives: This article presents a 3-year budget impact simulation on the effects of a chronic Hepatitis C (HCV) eradication plan in real-life costs incurred by the Regional Health Service.

Methods: The Liguria Region network performed a prospective 3-year (2017-2019) timeframe horizon trends simulation analysis focusing on management interventions and costs. It involved all the eight prescribing centers in the region, starting from retrospective historical performance data and assuming the impact of sustained viral response rates for patients treated for HCV.

Worry and risk perception of breast cancer in a prevention trial of low dose tamoxifen in midlife postmenopausal hormone users.

Objective: There is increasing interest in combining postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) and SERMs in midlife women. We previously showed that refusal to participate in a prevention trial of low dose tamoxifen in HT users was associated with higher worry about breast cancer. Given this counterintuitive finding, we studied which factors influenced worry and risk perception of breast cancer.

Association of Biomarkers with Serious Cardiac Adverse Events during Abiraterone Acetate Treatment in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Background: Abiraterone acetate is an effective drug for castration-resistant prostate cancer, but cardiac serious adverse events (SAEs) may occur. We studied their association with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and troponin T (TnT) during abiraterone therapy.

Patients And Methods: In a single institution, 17 patients were treated with abiraterone acetate 1 g daily with concomitant prednisone and then switched to dexametasone plus canrenone.

Cost of HAART in Italy: multicentric evaluation and determinants from a large HIV outpatient cohort.

Background: As HIV infection turned into a chronic treatable disease, now ranking as one of the most costly in medicine, long-term sustainability of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) expenses became a major issue, especially in countries with universal access to care. Identification of determinants of higher HAART costs may therefore help in controlling costs of care, while keeping high levels of retention in care and viral suppression.

Methods: With this aim, we enrolled a large multicentric sample of consecutive unselected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients followed at five sites of care in Italy, and evaluated annual individual HAART costs in relation to a number of sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory variables.

An observational study of nasal cavity toxicity in cancer patients treated with bevacizumab.

Background: The nasal cavity is a vulnerable zone which may be damaged by vascular disorders. We systematically assessed the frequency and severity of nasal cavity alterations during bevacizumab treatment, to determine its clinical relevance and factors contributing to its onset.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cohort study in 47 consecutive patients with advanced cancers who were on treatment with chemotherapy and bevacizumab at different doses.

SWS: accessing SRS sites contents through Web Services.

Background: Web Services and Workflow Management Systems can support creation and deployment of network systems, able to automate data analysis and retrieval processes in biomedical research. Web Services have been implemented at bioinformatics centres and workflow systems have been proposed for biological data analysis. New databanks are often developed by taking into account these technologies, but many existing databases do not allow a programmatic access.

Biowep: a workflow enactment portal for bioinformatics applications.

Background: The huge amount of biological information, its distribution over the Internet and the heterogeneity of available software tools makes the adoption of new data integration and analysis network tools a necessity in bioinformatics. ICT standards and tools, like Web Services and Workflow Management Systems (WMS), can support the creation and deployment of such systems. Many Web Services are already available and some WMS have been proposed.

Web services and workflow management for biological resources.

Background: The completion of the Human Genome Project has resulted in large quantities of biological data which are proving difficult to manage and integrate effectively. There is a need for a system that is able to automate accesses to remote sites and to "understand" the information that it is managing in order to link data properly. Workflow management systems combined with Web Services are promising Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tools.