Publications by authors named "Elena Tagliavini"

Background: Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) is the treatment of choice for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Several clinical trials that combine programmed cell death 1 (PD1) axis inhibitors with radiotherapy are in development for patients with LA-NSCLC. However, the effect of CRT on tumor cells programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression is unknown.

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Introduction: Targeting Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) has been deemed impossible for long time, but new drugs have recently demonstrated promising results. Evidence on the outcome of KRAS-mutant advanced-NSCLC treated with new standard regimens are still scarce. Thus, we aimed at assessing the incidence and clinical impact of KRAS mutations in a real-life population of advanced-NSCLC, exploring the prognostic significance of distinct alterations.

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Article Synopsis
  • BRAF mutations are found in 2-4% of lung adenocarcinoma cases and can affect how patients respond to treatment.
  • This study looked at 44 patients with advanced lung cancer to see how different types of BRAF mutations (V600E and non-V600E) influenced survival and treatment success.
  • Although no big differences in survival were seen, the V600E group had a longer time without cancer worsening, and chemotherapy seemed to help them more than immunotherapy.
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related human death. It is a heterogeneous disease, classified in two main histotypes, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is further subdivided into squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AD) subtypes. Despite the introduction of innovative therapeutics, mainly designed to specifically treat AD patients, the prognosis of lung cancer remains poor.

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Aim: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of a guidelines-compliant NAFLD assessment algorithm in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Consecutive patients aged < 75 newly diagnosed with T2D without coexisting liver disease or excessive alcohol consumption were enrolled. Patients were stratified based on liver enzymes, fatty liver index, ultrasound, fibrosis scores and liver stiffness measurement.

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Background: In advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients whose disease has progressed during treatment with first- and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), liquid biopsy (LB) is routinely used to evaluate the presence of EGFR T790M as an acquired resistance mechanism. The objective of this study was to assess a real-life picture of EGFR T790M detection in LB.

Materials And Methods: Liquid biopsies performed between June 2016 and October 2018 for advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC at disease progression during treatment with first- and second-generation TKIs were retrospectively evaluated in 5 Italian centers.

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Transbronchial cryobiopsy, a new diagnostic procedure in patients with diffuse lung disease, provides larger and better-preserved lung specimens compared to forceps biopsy. The diagnostic yield of cryobiopsy is much better than that of forceps biopsy and slightly lower than that of surgical lung biopsy, but with a lower complication rate compared to the latter. Literature suggests that in the multidisciplinary approach to patients with diffuse lung disease cryobiopsy provides diagnostic and prognostic information similar to surgical lung biopsy.

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Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib) are indicated as first-line therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors harbor activating mutations in the EGFR gene. Erlotinib is also used in second and third-line therapy for patients whose tumors have wild type EGFR but to date there are no validated biomarkers useful to identify which patients may benefit from this treatment. The expression level of four miRNAs: miR-133b, -146a, -7 and -21 which target EGFR was investigated by real-time PCR in tumor specimens from NSCLC patients treated with erlotinib administered as the second or third line.

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Hamartomas are very rarely identified as an endobronchial lesion. Herein, we describe a peculiar case of a 55-year-old woman with persistent cough and increasing dyspnea and radiological detection of a solid lesion subtotally occluding the main right bronchus. Despite the radiological and radiometabolic (18-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography scan) features were highly suspected for bronchial carcinoid, the definitive diagnosis after endoscopic removal was indicative of an endobronchial hamartoma.

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Lymph node nevi (NN) have been occasionally described, yet little is currently known on their origin. According to a theoretical model of nevogenesis, the dissemination of nevus progenitor cells through lymphatic routes is responsible for the development of both nodal and skin nevi. The true incidence of NN is largely unknown but it has been reported to vary from 0.

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We reviewed 888 temporal artery biopsies (TAB) performed in 871 patients in a single institution from January 1986 to December 2013. Forty-four biopsies (4.9%) were inadequate, 490 (55.

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Adenomas are the easily identifiable precursors of the vast majority of colorectal cancers. Some of their morphological features, such as dysplasia, are predictive of their biological evolution toward adenocarcinomas. A large body of evidence has demonstrated that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is commonly activated in colorectal cancer and EGFR-target therapies have improved the outcome for colorectal cancer patients.

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Granuloma annulare (GA) is a common dermatosis of unknown etiology, which, in 10%-15% of cases, presents as the generalized subtype. GA has been associated with infections, vaccines, and neoplasias. We describe a case of generalized GA arising in a 50-year-old man with a diffuse infestation by Sarcoptes scabiei.

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