Prognostic role of KRAS, NRAS, BRAF and PIK3CA mutations in advanced colorectal cancer.

Aim: To explore the prognostic value of extended mutational profiling for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Materials & Methods: We retrospectively reviewed survival results of 194 mCRC patients that were assigned to four molecular subgroups: BRAF mutated; KRAS mutated codons 12-13 only; any of KRAS codons 61-146, PIK3CA or NRAS mutations and all wild-type. Point mutations were investigated by pyrosequencing.

Risk of unplanned visits for colorectal cancer outpatients receiving chemotherapy: a case-crossover study.

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of chemotherapy on the risk of unplanned visit in a cohort of colorectal cancer outpatients. Chief complaints for unplanned visits and risk factors for hospital admission were also analyzed.

Patients And Methods: Clinical data of 229 consecutive colorectal cancer patients who were unexpectedly presented to our acute oncology clinic between 2006 and 2009 were reviewed.

Biglycan expression and clinical outcome in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Conflicting results have been reported on the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in pancreatic cancer. Preclinical studies suggest that the overexpression of biglycan (proteoglycan-I, PG-I), a leucine-rich protein of the ECM, may induce growth arrest of pancreatic cancer cells. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic role of biglycan expression in pancreatic cancer.

Neurosurgical management and postoperative whole-brain radiotherapy for colorectal cancer patients with symptomatic brain metastases.

Background: New systemic treatments for advanced colorectal cancer have conferred a survival advantage, allowing patients to reach a median survival of almost 2 years. Due to this remarkable life extension, the incidence of brain metastases, though still low, is progressively increasing over time. There is little reported data on the optimal strategy to manage brain lesions from colorectal cancer.