A systematic review and meta-analysis of trials assessing PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors activity in pre-treated advanced stage malignant mesothelioma.

Introduction: Advanced stage malignant mesothelioma (asMM) patients have poor prognosis. Several trials investigated the role of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in pre-treated asMM.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature of clinical trials testing single-agent anti PD-1/PD-L1 ICIs in pre-treated asMM was performed.

Italian survey on the clinical management of non-small cell lung cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: A lesson for the second wave.

This study investigated the clinical management of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Italy. A 29-questions survey was sent to 95 Italian thoracic oncologists, with 77 % of them declaring significant changes in the outpatients management and treatment. The results of this survey pointed out a significant delay of lung cancer diagnosis along with a relevant reduction of patients' accrual within clinical trials.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Cancer Patients: A Picture of an Italian Unit.

The world, and Italy on the front lines, has experienced a major medical emergency due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Cancer patients are one of the potentially most vulnerable cohorts of people, but data about their management are still few. In this monocentric retrospective study we included all SARS-CoV-2 oncological patients accepted, between March 27th and April 19th 2020, at the Onco-COVID Unit at San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, one of the few Italian oncological-COVID wards.

Transfection of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells with native tumor DNA induces antigen-specific T-cell responses in vitro.

Objective: Nucleofection of genomic tumor (Tu) DNA into human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (hMoDC) was evaluated for use in producing anti-tumor vaccines able to induce effective T-cell specific immune responses.

Methods: Cultured hMoDC obtained from HLA-A2+ normal donors were nucleofected with genomic DNA extracted from an HLA-A2+gp100+ Mel 526 cell line and 3' end-labeled with biotinylated TdT nucleotides or from a genetically-modified Mel 526 expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). An Amaxa Nucleofector system was used for electroporation.

Paclitaxel and carboplatin in neo-adjuvant and concomitant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim And Background: To evaluate feasibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NA-CT) followed by CT + radiotherapy (RT) in locally advanced or unresectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods: 22 HNSCC patients were enrolled (18 males, 4 females; median age, 59.5 years; median ECOG PS, 1).