Further evidence for preoperative chemoradiotherapy and transanal endoscopic surgery (TEM) in T2-3s,N0,M0 rectal cancer.

Purpose: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy and local excision via transanal endoscopic surgery (TEM) in T2-3s,N0,M0 rectal cancer achieve promising results in selected patients. We describe our long-term follow-up experience with this combination, and evaluate complete clinical and pathological responses, local recurrence and overall survival.

Methods: The prospective observational follow-up study carried out since 2007.

Are breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy younger now than ten years ago?

Aim: The aim of the present study was to analyze the age of breast cancer patients managed with curative approach at the time of treatment with radiotherapy.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm in women. Little is known with regard to the age of patients at diagnosis, and some authors have suggested that breast cancer is now affecting women who are younger than before.

Biweekly cetuximab in combination with FOLFOX-4 in the first-line treatment of wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer: final results of a phase II, open-label, clinical trial (OPTIMIX-ACROSS Study).

Background: This phase II study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biweekly cetuximab in combination with oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil (FOLFOX-4) as first-line treatment of metastatic wild-type KRAS colorectal cancer.

Methods: Previously untreated patients with wild-type KRAS tumours received biweekly cetuximab (500 mg/m2 on day 1) plus FOLFOX-4 (oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 on day 1, leucovorin 200 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2, and fluorouracil as a 400 mg/m2 bolus followed by a 22-hour 600 mg/m2 infusion on day 1 and 2). Treatment was continued until disease progression, onset of unacceptable toxicities, metastases surgery, or discontinuation request.

Genetic testing in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer using massive parallel sequencing.

High throughput methods such as next generation sequencing are increasingly used in molecular diagnosis. The aim of this study was to develop a workflow for the detection of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations using massive parallel sequencing in a 454 GS Junior bench top sequencer. Our approach was first validated in a panel of 23 patients containing 62 unique variants that had been previously Sanger sequenced.

Multicenter phase II study of oxaliplatin and sorafenib in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma after failure of cisplatin and fluoropyrimidine treatment. A GEMCAD study.

Background: Cisplatin and fluoropyrimidine (CF) are standard first- line treatment in advanced gastric cancer, but no second-line treatment has yet been established. We present a phase II study in which we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of Sorafenib (S), and Oxaliplatin as second-line therapy.

Methods: Patients with progressive gastric adenocarcinoma after CF- first-line, ECOG 0-2, and measurable disease were included.