Prognostic factors in gastric cancer patients: a 10-year mono-institutional experience.

Introduction: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the main causes of death from cancer globally. Long-term survival, especially in Western countries, remains dismal, with no significant improvements in recent years. Therefore, precise identification of clinical and pathological risk factors is crucial for prognosis, as it allows a better selection of patients suitable for oncologically radical treatments and contributes to longer survivals.

Development and Multicenter Validation of a Novel Immune-Inflammation-Based Nomogram to Predict Survival in Western Resectable Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma (GEA): The NOMOGAST.

Background. More than 50% of operable GEA relapse after curative-intent resection. We aimed at externally validating a nomogram to enable a more accurate estimate of individualized risk in resected GEA.

Implementing an Integrative Oncology Paradigm in Cancer Care: The Tuscan Regional Healthcare System.

Recent cancer research highlighted specific patient needs, with a growing interest in integrative oncology (IO). This is a narrative review concerning the Tuscan Healthcare System, which represents a virtuous example of progressive integration of complementary medicine in conventional cancer care. The main steps of the process are described, with a specific focus on the 2021 Diagnostic and Therapeutic Care Pathway on Integrative Oncology.

Strong impact of sarcopenia as a risk factor of survival in resected gastric cancer patients: first Italian report of a Bicentric study.

Gastric cancer (GC) accounts for 4% of all cancers in Europe. Sarcopenia is a complex syndrome characterized by a loss of muscle mass and function associated with age, often present in neoplastic patients. Recently, several studies have shown a significant association between sarcopenia and poor prognosis in various pathological conditions.

The using of sealants in pancreatic surgery: A Systematic Review.

Background: POPF derives from the pancreatic stump, which follows pancreatic resection and the pancreatoenteric anastomosis following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Since 1978 sealants have been used in pancreatic surgery to prevent pancreatic fistula after resection of the pancreatic head and tail or for the management of trauma and the treatment of low-output pancreatic fistula. Different types of fibrin sealants have been evaluated for their potential to reduce the occurrence of POPF.

Idiopathic chylous peritonitis mimicking acute appendicitis A case report.

We report an uncommon case of idiopathic acute chylous peritonitis mimicking an acute appendicitis in a 30-year-old female patient with a 2-day history of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Chylous ascites is a rare form of ascites characterized by the presence of a milky fluid rich in triglycerides. It occurs as a result of a damage to the lymphatic system due to trauma or other benign and malignant pathologies.

The Experience of an Italian Public Homeopathy Clinic during the COVID-19 Epidemic, March-May 2020.

During the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy, hospital outpatient clinics progressively decreased their activities; in March 2020 they were closed except for emergencies. During this period, the activities of the public Homeopathy Outpatient Clinic of Lucca aimed at guaranteeing therapeutic continuity to patients by means of telephone or video consultations, and searching for homeopathic medicines that best responded to early COVID-19 symptoms. In March 2020, the Complementary Medicine Working Group participated in the organization of a mission of COVID-19 Chinese experts for the online training of professionals working in the Tuscan Healthcare System.

Pregnancy in Women with Complex Congenital Heart Disease. A Constant Challenge.

Background: The improvement in surgical techniques has contributed to an increasing number of childbearing women with complex congenital heart disease (CCC). However, adequate counseling about pregnancy in this situation is uncertain, due to a wide variety of residual cardiac lesions.

Objectives: To evaluate fetal and maternal outcomes in pregnant women with CCC and to analyze the predictive variables of prognosis.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound for ovary assessment in a murine model: preliminary findings on the protective role of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue from chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage.

The prolonged, gonadotoxic effect of chemotherapy can finally lead to infertility in female cancer survivors. There is controversial evidence regarding the protective role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) on chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage. In the present study on a murine model, ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) were firstly used to characterise ovarian glands in normal conditions to validate a preclinical model.

Patient Safety in Complementary Medicine through the Application of Clinical Risk Management in the Public Health System.

To develop a systematic approach to detect and prevent clinical risks in complementary medicine (CM) and increase patient safety through the analysis of activities in homeopathy and acupuncture centres in the Tuscan region using a significant event audit (SEA) and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA). SEA is the selected tool for studying adverse events (AE) and detecting the best solutions to prevent future incidents in our Regional Healthcare Service (RHS). This requires the active participation of all the actors and external experts to validate the analysis.

Fertility sparing surgery in epithelial ovarian cancer in Italy: perceptions, practice, and main issues.

About 2.7% of patients epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) are younger than 40 and present with stage I disease. For this subset of women, the issue of fertility sparing surgery (FSS) has become critical.

Influence of pregnancy on clinical course and fetal outcome of women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: To study clinical evolution of women with HCM during pregnancy; the influencing factors of gestation on natural course of HCM and the frequency of HCM in their children in early childhood.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in 35 women with HCM; there were 23 pregnant women (PG group) and 12 nonpregnant control patients (NP group), matched for age and functional class (FC). Clinical monthly evaluations were carried out and electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiography tests were performed.

Effect of enalapril on left ventricular diameters and exercise capacity in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with regurgitation secondary to mitral valve prolapse or rheumatic heart disease.

The effects of 12 months of therapy were evaluated in 47 mildly symptomatic patients with moderate to severe mitral valve regurgitation; 26 patients received enalapril and 21 received a placebo. Enalapril was associated with a significant reduction in left ventricular diameter and mitral regurgitation volume, with no evidence of change in systolic function indexes. However, enalapril did not hinder progressive aerobic impairment to effort.

Ten-year clinical laboratory follow-up after application of a symptom-based therapeutic strategy to patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation of predominant rheumatic etiology.

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the feasibility and the long-term results of a symptom-based strategy of aortic valve replacement in a Brazilian population with predominant rheumatic etiology.

Background: Optimal criteria for valve replacement in aortic regurgitation (AR) are still not entirely clear. The appearance of symptoms is an indication for surgery, but may be associated with myocardial damage.

Pregnancy in patients with heart disease: experience with 1,000 cases.

Background: Previously, the high maternal mortality in cardiac patients who became pregnant prompted the assertion: Women with an abnormal heart should not become pregnant. This long-standing notion needs to be revised today.

Hypothesis: The study was undertaken to ascertain the experience with a large series of pregnant women with cardiac disease cared for in the same referral center.

Influence of pregnancy after bioprosthetic valve replacement in young women: a prospective five-year study.

Background And Aims Of The Study: Prosthetic heart valve placement in young women does not normally prevent successful pregnancy, though either thrombosis in mechanical prostheses or degeneration in biological prostheses may cause risks for both mother and fetus. Although pericardial prostheses avoid the risks of anticoagulation therapy, it has been suggested that pregnancy accelerates structural degeneration in bioprostheses. The study aim was to assess the influence of pregnancy on five-year outcome after pericardial bioprosthesis replacement.

Pregnancy and peripartum cardiomyopathy. A comparative and prospective study.

Objective: To assess pregnancy outcome in women with peripartum cardiomyopathy and to compare it with idiopathic cardiomyopathy.

Methods: Twenty-six pregnant women, aged 28.4+/-6.

Mitral valve repair. Quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet in patients with myxomatous degeneration.

OBJECTIVE - To analyze the immediate and late results of mitral valve repair with quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet without the use of a prosthetic ring annuloplasty. METHODS - Using this technique, 118 patients with mitral valve prolapse who underwent mitral repair from January '84 through December '96 were studied. Age ranged from 30 to 86 (mean = 59.

Mitral valve repair. Quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet in patients with myxomatous degeneration.

Objective: To analyze the immediate and late results of mitral valve repair with quadrangular resection of the posterior leaflet without the use of a prosthetic ring annuloplasty.

Methods: Using this technique, 118 patients with mitral valve prolapse who underwent mitral repair from January '84 through December '96 were studied. Age ranged from 30 to 86 (mean = 59.

[Comparison between percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty and open commissurotomy for mitral stenosis].

Purpose: To compare immediate and late (12 months) follow-up of clinical and Doppler echocardiographic results between percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty and open commissurotomy in a prospective and randomized trial.

Methods: Eighty eight symptomatic patients with severe mitral stenosis and favorable anatomy were randomized in a prospective trial comparing the two procedures. All patients were submitted to clinical and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation before the procedures and immediate and twelve months thereafter.