Publications by authors named "E Zecca"
Background: Opioids in step III of the WHO analgesic ladder are the standard of care for treating cancer pain. However, a significant minority of patients do not benefit from therapy. Genetics might play a role in predisposing patients to a good or poor response to opioids.
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- Opioids are commonly used to manage cancer pain, but 10%-20% of patients either do not respond well or suffer from negative side effects, potentially due to genetic differences.
- A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on cancer patients across Europe to find genetic markers related to opioid-induced nausea and vomiting.
- The study identified 65 genetic variants linked to nausea-vomiting scores, including variants in the NPAS2 gene, paving the way for more personalized cancer pain management strategies through further research.
Article Synopsis
- Male cancer patients undergoing antineoplastic therapy often experience hypogonadism, which negatively affects their quality of life, though its causes related to cancer treatment are not well understood.
- A systematic review identified 28 studies that indicated certain drugs, like anti-angiogenic agents and platinum salts, contribute to hypogonadism, with immune checkpoint inhibitors causing secondary hypogonadism due to immune reactions.
- The findings highlight the need for regular evaluation of hormonal levels in at-risk patients before and during treatment to better manage this condition.
Introduction: Better diagnosis and treatment of neuropathic cancer pain (NcP) remains an unmet clinical need. The EAPC/IASP algorithm was specifically designed for NcP diagnosis; yet, to date, there is no information on its application and accuracy.
Objectives: Our aim was to determine the accuracy of the EAPC/IASP algorithm compared with the Neuropathic Special Interest Group grading system (gold standard) and to describe patients' sensory profile with quantitative sensory testing (QST).
Background: Bone-targeted agents (BTA), such as denosumab (DN) and zoledronic acid (ZA), have historically reduced the risk of skeletal related events in cancer patients with bone metastases (BM), with no improvement in survival outcomes. In the immunotherapy era, BM have been associated with poor prognosis upon immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Currently, the impact of bone tumor burden on survival upon BTAs in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) patients treated with ICI remains unknown.
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